Ever the Same
by Elle 02
Summary: Two Bit has always been very protective of his little sister, Alana. But what will Two Bit do when one of his best buddies notices that Alana isn't so little anymore? COMPLETE!
1. Who We Are

**Disclaimer: I own everything! Okay, no I don't...**

**Author's Note: Just a real quick one, I promise! I just wanted to say that I tried not to make Steve too soft, but he may come across like that anyway. Hey, he's a hard character to write for! And it says at the end of the book that he softened up a little after Pony and Johnny come back. Also, this song at the beginning is supposed to be Alana talking to Two Bit, feeling bad because she kissed his friend. I'm telling you this so there isn't any confusion.**

* * *

_He stopped by the house _

_We were hanging out _

_He was wondering where you are _

_We went walking _

_We were just talking _

_Then he kissed me by his car _

_And now I'm sick inside _

_Yeah, it makes me wanna cry _

_I'm so sorry about last night _

_It happened so fast _

_I wanted it to last _

_It all just feels so right _

_But now I'm sick inside _

_Now I'm stuck with this feeling in the pit of my soul _

_I guess I should've had a little self-control _

_I knew that it was wrong, I admit it _

_I wish there was a way that I could make it all right _

_I really wanna tell you that I put up a fight _

_But that would be a lie _

_Yeah, I'm sick inside _

_Yeah, it makes me wanna cry _

_It all just feels so right _

_And now I'm sick inside_

_-Hope Partlow_

* * *

"_Greaser, greaser, greaser_!" The sound rang in Alana Matthew's ears as she walked the halls of Walt Whitman High. She walked through a crowd of Soc's, smiling slightly at Cherry Valance when she smiled at her.

"Hey! Hey, Alana! Alana Matthews!" Ponyboy Curtis's voice brought her out of reverie.

"Hey, Pony." She said as he slowed to a walk beside her. "What's up?"

"Your brother's looking for you."

"Why?"

Ponyboy shrugged. "He didn't say. He just told me to tell you that he's lookin' for you."

"All right, Pony, thanks."

"I'll see you in Science, okay?" Ponyboy grinned his cute little smile.

"Yeah, see you."

Alana wondered what Two Bit wanted and where in the world she might find him. She looked for some of his friends; maybe they could tell her where he was.

"Hey, Danny, have you seen Two Bit?" She asked one of his buddies. "I heard he was looking for me."

"He is." Danny shrugged. "You know what class he has next hour?"

"U.S. History, I think. Why?"

"You could just go wait outside the door for him."

Now, why didn't she think of that? "Danny, you're brilliant."

He laughed and pushed some of his dark red hair from his face. "Yeah, tell that to my old man."

"I ever see him around, I will."

Danny laughed again and patted Alana's shoulder. "You're all right, Matthews." He said as he walked off.

Alana made her way over to the senior section. Yes, her brother was _finally _promoted to a senior this year. Finally.

She stood around outside Mr. Salmon's class room for a few minutes, waiting for Two Bit to show up. She finally spotted him, walking down the hall with Steve Randle. He looked surprised to see her.

"Alana? What're you doing here?"

She rolled her eyes. "Two Bit, about fifty people have been saying that you're lookin' for me. What's going on?"

He looked confused for a minute, but then his expression cleared. Alana rolled her eyes again; he was such a scatterbrain! "Oh, I'm takin' Grace out after school. You think you and Beth can find a ride?"

Beth Richards was Alana's best friend. She lived next door to the Matthews', so they give her a ride home everyday.

"I guess…" Alana said slowly, going over all her friends in her mind. Not many of them could drive and the ones that could had after school jobs.

"I could give them a ride." Steve told Two Bit.

"Don't you have to go to work?" He asked.

"I'm off today."

"Oh. Okay." Two Bit turned to his little sister. "Steve's gonna give you guys a ride."

"So I heard." She said dryly. They didn't even ask her!

"Meet me out front after the last bell." Steve told her. Well, Alana guessed he was talking to her. He was looking over her head. "Okay?"

"Uh, right. After the last bell." She looked at my brother. "Have fun with Grace."

Two Bit cocked his eyebrow, which really gets on Alana's nerves. "I'm sure I will."

She shook my head as she started to walk away. "Perv."

"You know you love me!" He shouted at her retreating back.

Alana just sorta waved and kept walking. Sometimes her brother could be really annoying.

"Where were you?" Beth asked as she slipped into her seat in English, right as the final bell rang.

"I had to find Two Bit. He can't give us a ride home after school, so Steve Randle's going to instead."

"Steve Randle!" Beth whispered. You would have thought that Alana said that The Monkee's were giving them a ride. "He's so cute! Don't you think?"

Alana nodded. Steve _was_ cute. "He's all right. Hey, I thought you liked my brother?"

Beth had had a crush on Two Bit for years. It didn't help that he was always flirting with her. She knew she didn't have much of a chance with him, though, because she wasn't a blonde. "I still like him." She was saying. "But I'm not a blonde. Besides; I've decided that Ponyboy Curtis is much cuter. No offense."

Alana held up my hands. "None taken."

Alana thought she must have said that because she and Two Bit look so much alike. They've actually been mistaken for twins before, even though he's four years older than her.

"_Ahem_!" Mrs. Shaw cleared her throat. "Miss. Richards? Miss Matthews? Is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?"

"No, Ma'am." The two girls said quickly, but Alana shot Beth a small grin.

Okay, so maybe she is a _bit_ like her brother.

Alana and Beth met up with Pony in Science, which was their last class.

"Steve said he was giving you girls a ride home." He said as they sat down at their lap table.

"Yep."

"He's taking me home, too. Y'all wanna come over for awhile?" He asked, smiling at Beth.

Alana shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

"Cool."

Science was incredibly boring that day. Come to think of it, Science was boring everyday. Alana hate, hate, _hated_ dissecting things. It was so gross.

After school, the three of them gathered their books from their lockers and met up at the front steps to wait for Steve. Alana was surprised at nervous she was. She's known Steve since she was a little girl and even though he was sometimes a jerk; he never gave her any reason to think about him. So why was she so nervous?

"Where is he?" Alana asked after a few minutes of waiting. "He said to meet him here after the last bell."

"Talkin' 'bout me?" A voice from behind caused her to jump. Steve walked up beside her, lighting a cigarette. He offered one to Pony, who took it.

"You two want a weed?" Steve asked.

"Sure." Beth took one out of Steve's pack as they walked to his car. Alana took one too. Pony lit his lighter for them. He climbed into the backseat of the car and Beth grinned at Alana and climbed in beside him. Alana took a deep breath and got in the front seat with Steve.

She'd always liked Steve's car. It was pretty tuff, she thought, and nowhere near as loud as Two Bit's hunk of junk (don't tell him she said that). She knew that Steve had his fixed up to drag race with, which is pretty cool, if you think about it.

"Will you go really fast for us?" Alana asked. "Please?"

Steve sent her his trademark half smirk-half smile. "_Really_ fast? How fast is _really_ fast?"

She giggled like an idiot. "Um. I don't know. Just go fast."

Steve flipped on the radio. The Doors were playing '_Light my Fire'_ and Steve tapped out the beat on the steering wheel as he picked up speed. Beth screamed when he turned the corner and Pony laughed.

Steve finally slowed down when he pulled into the DX.

"I thought you didn't have to work." Alana said.

"I don't. I gotta pick up Sodapop." He came to a stop and headed inside the gas station.

Duh. She gave herself a mental slap on the forehead. '_He probably thinks you're a real idiot'_. She told herself.

"He didn't scare you guys too bad, did he?" Ponyboy asked. "He was just showing off."

"I wasn't scared." Alana told him. "I ride with Two Bit, remember?"

"I wasn't scared either." Beth interjected.

"Then why did you scream?" Alana asked.

"Er...from excitement?"

Alana rolled her eyes. "You're such a _narf_!"

Ponyboy looked confused. "What's a narf?"

"It's just some stupid word she made up." Beth told him. "Ignore her."

Alana started to retort, but before she had a chance, Steve and Soda were coming out.

"Skooch over, chick-a-dee." Soda told her. "I'm up front with you guys."

Alana scooted over to the middle of the seat, right next to Steve. Her arm was touching his, just barely. She could smell his scent, a mixture of car oil, Ivory soap, tobacco, and those peppermints he was always sucking on. It made her stomach feel funny.

Steve looked down at Alana; he'd never noticed before how pretty she was, with her hickory colored hair and bright blue eyes. She was turned around in her seat, saying something to Ponyboy and Beth. She laughed suddenly and reminded him of someone he couldn't quite place. He'd known her since they were little and she'd always been a cute kid. But he had begun to notice that she _wasn't_ a kid anymore. She was growing up pretty good, he thought. Steve wondered if Two Bit would get mad if he asked Alana out, then he mentally shook his head. Where had that thought come from? He wasn't going to ask her out! He couldn't believe he had even thought that.

"Oh, Soda," Pony was saying. "Alana and Beth are coming over for awhile. That okay?"

Soda shrugged. "Fine by me. Steve, you can run them home later, right?"

"Huh? I mean, uh, yeah. Sure I can." Steve nodded and tried to concentrate on the road and not on the warm body next to him. _'No,'_ he told himself, _'she's not even that pretty. Sure, she smells like honeysuckle. And sure she laughs at your dumb jokes. But that doesn't mean you're interested in her. No siree, bub, you're not.' _

That's what he kept telling himself.

**Later That Evening-**

Alana and Beth sat on the front porch watching Steve and the three Curtis brother's play football. It was pretty funny, Alana thought, watching them clown around. She and Beth would cheer on whoever had the ball, acting like Socy cheerleaders and laughing.

The radio was playing loudly in the corner and the two girls would dance around to it and sing loudly. When they sang '_Hang on, Sloopy'_, Pony started laughing so hard that he couldn't catch the ball.

"I have to use the bathroom." Alana told Beth in a calm minute. "I'll be right back." She slipped inside the house.

On her way to the restroom, she passed the Curtis' mantel and two pictures on it caught her eye. She slowed to a stop and picked one up. It was a small, dark haired boy with black eyes. Alana ran her finger down the side of the picture. Johnny. He'd been dead for a year and she still missed him. Dallas too, even though she didn't know Dally that well. She sat the pictures back on the mantel and continued her trek to the bathroom. She looked at them one more time on her way out.

When Alana stepped back out on the porch, the guys were sitting on the steps, resting and covered in sweat. It was kind of endearing, but kind of gross at the same time.

Steve looked up when Alana came out and he moved over so she could sit beside him and Beth on the steps. The radio was still playing loudly, an old Elvis song, and Steve felt his face growing hot as he listened to the words.

"_I used to pull down on your pigtails_

_And pinch your turned up nose_

_But baby, you've been growin'_

_And lately, it's been a-showin'_

_Honey, from your head down to your toes"_

"Steve, you all right, man?" Soda asked. "You look kinda flushed."

"Fine." He said quickly. "I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all."

"Oh," Soda raised his eyebrows at Darry. "Okay."

"Well," Alana said. "I guess we better get home, huh, Beth?"

"Yeah." Beth sighed. "I wanna get home before my dad does. I got kitchen duty tonight."

Steve pulled his keys out of his pocket. "Let's go." He told them.

Beth was smiling at Pony. "I had lots of fun. Thanks for inviting us."

Ponyboy's face was turning red. "It was, uh, no problem."

"See you tomorrow, Ponyboy." Alana said, climbing in the front seat of Steve's car. "Bye, Soda. Bye, Darry."

"Bye." They told her.

On the way to her house, Alana studied Steve out of the corner of her eye. He _was_ cute, she decided. Maybe not in a traditional way, like her brother, but there was something attractive about him anyway. And she really liked that tattoo on his arm.

"Thanks, Steve." She said as they pulled into her driveway. "I might see you at school tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah." Steve said. "Okay. Bye."

"Bye!" Both girls told him.

As soon as Steve got back to the Curtis', he was ambushed by his best friend.

"You dig her, don't you?" Sodapop demanded.

"Who?" Steve asked, with a sinking feeling in his stomach. Was he _that _obvious?

Soda rolled his eyes. "Alana, retard! You dig Alana!"

"What? No, I don't!"

"Yes, you do! You _so_ do!"

"Okay!" Steve practically shouted. "Maybe I do. But you can't say anything, Mouth of the South."

"Why not?"

"_Because_," Steve dragged the word out. "She's Two Bit's little sister!"

"And-…oh." Soda stopped.

That was a problem, wasn't it?


	2. Crush

**Author's Note: I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who reviewed. You guys rock! Oh, and Steve is three years older than Alana. I know someone asked that, I just can't remember who. I'm a nerd, what can I say? Anyway, I know that Steve is supposed to be kind of bitter, but I got the feeling it he was only bitter towards Soc's and there haven't been many in my story yet. But don't worry! You'll get to see some Soc's, a mad Two Bit,and a very bitter Steve soon!**

* * *

**Two Weeks Later-**

"That is so foul." Two Bit looked at his sister's lunch. She was eating a grapefruit, but she kept pulling the pulpy, white stuff out of her mouth and sitting it on her plate. "Can't you eat a…a _sandwich_ or something, like a normal person?"

"What's wrong with grapefruit?" Alana asked. "It's very refreshing."

"Watching you eat it like that isn't. It's disgusting." He stuffed the rest of his sandwich in his mouth and licked some mustard off his finger.

"So don't watch." Alana retorted, taking another bit of pulp out of her mouth. "Is there a reason that you're eating lunch with me? Shouldn't you be out terrorizing old people or whatever it is we greasers are supposed to do?"

"Nah." Two Bit shrugged, and pushed his sister's spoiled rotten cat, Boing Kitty, off his lap. "Soda told me that you and Beth hung out at his house yesterday."

Alana shrugged. "Yeah, Ponyboy invited us. I think he likes Beth."

Two Bit grinned. "Really?"

"Yeah, and I know that she likes him. She told me she did."

"I thought she liked me!"

Alana barely refrained from rolling her eyes. "She does, but I think she likes Ponyboy like a boyfriend. She likes you as a…a…cute, older guy. I guess."

"Hmm…maybe I should tell Pony. Then he might ask her to go steady or something."

Alana shrugged. She wished Steve-…uh; _someone_ would ask to take her out. But she knew that was never going to happen. Her brother was way too protective of her to let her go with _him_. Since their mom worked such late shifts, Two Bit took care of Alana the best he could. He never cleaned and he couldn't cook to save his life, but he made up for it by watching out for his baby sister. It used to be a relief knowing that if she needed him, Two Bit would be right there. Now it was kinda annoying. Alana was glad he was getting serious with Grace Roberts, that meant she could hang around with Steve…or, uh, whoever…without him getting all huffy.

"So…we're all going to the movies tonight. You and Beth wanna go?"

"Whose '_we all'_?"

"Oh," Two Bit shrugged. "You know, Me, Grace, Soda, Pony, Steve…the usual. Oh, and Soda's new girl. What's her name? Denise? So, you up for it?"

Alana nodded. "Sure. I mean, I'll have to check with Beth, but I know she'll wanna go. Especially if Pony's going. What're we seeing?"

" '_The Body Snatchers'_." Two Bit nodded appreciatively. "Grace's little sister, you know, Natalie Jo, went to see it with her friends and she said it's hilarious."

"Uh, Two Bit, I don't think it's supposed to be funny." Alana told him.

Two Bit shrugged. "No? Well, it should be a laugh. Tell Beth, all right? Oh," He paused. "And tell her Ponyboy _asked_ if she would come."

Alana threw a piece of pulp at him jokingly. "Get out of here!"

Two Bit ran out, laughing.

* * *

"_Body Snatchers, Body Snatchers, knockin' at your door! Body Snatchers, Body Snatchers, knockin' at your door!"_ Soda sang that night, as they walked to The Nightly Double. 

"Uh, Soda, sorry to rain on your little concert," Alana said. "But wouldn't it sound better to say 'Body Snatchers, _snatching_ at your door?'"

Soda stopped singing. "Hmm. Maybe it would."

"Yeah, but then it wouldn't make any sense." Ponyboy pointed out. "_Snatching_ at your door? What, are they stealing doors now?"

"That's true." Alana nodded.

"I was thinking-." Two Bit said loudly.

"Stop, before you hurt yourself." Alana interrupted teased.

"Haha, you're a real laugh right, O Mighty Queen of the Grapefruit." Two Bit gave her a withering look. "_ANYWAY_, I was thinking that y'all think too much."

Alana rolled her eyes. Miracle of miracles, she'd ended up walking next to Steve. She had started out between Sodapop and Beth, but some how, she was suddenly next to Steve. They weren't saying much, not really, but it was nice just walking next to him. She could faintly smell what she had come to call 'the Steve scent' in her mind. Alana really wanted to steal on of his shirts and wrap it around her pillow, like a pillowcase. Then she could smell him as she went to sleep. As sappy as that was, Alana couldn't help it. She felt like she was in one of those teen romance novels that Beth was always reading. You know, with the pretty girls and the good-looking guys that never look like real people, on the covers?

As they paid to get in, Alana watched Ponyboy and Beth. They were walking very close together, his hand occasionally brushing hers. It was so sweet, Alana practically puked.

"Kinda gross, huh?" Steve's voice made her jump. Why was he always sneaking up on her?

"Yeah, but it's cute at the same time."

"Maybe I should just tell them to go ahead and make out and get it over with." Steve smiled. "You think they'd do it?"

"I doubt it." Alana laughed a little. She sat down in one of the seats in the front row and Steve sat next to her. She noticed that their little group had sort of spread out. She and Steve were in the front and Ponyboy and Beth were right behind them. But Soda and Denise and Two Bit and Grace were all sitting in the very last row, the make out row. She had a feeling the four of them weren't going to be watching the movie.

Grace's sister had been right; the movie was incredibly funny, even though it wasn't supposed to be. Alana laughed her head off and Steve laughed at her laughing. Alana and Beth went to buy some popcorn and some candy, then spent most of the movie trying to flick it at Two Bit and Grace. The Raisonette's wouldn't go far enough and the popcorn kept sailing over their heads. Grace or Two Bit never even noticed.

"How do they breathe like that?" Beth asked and Steve bit his lip to keep from laughing.

It felt weird, like everything was reversed. It was usually _him_ up there with a girl and Two Bit down in the front row, throwing popcorn, eating Junior Mints, and making fun of the movie.

"Oh no, the Pod People are coming!" Alana yelled. "_HIDE_!"

Ponyboy acted like he was going to crawl under the seat. "Maybe they won't find me here!" He suggested. "I don't wanna be a mindless pod person! They might make me cut my hair!"

"That'd be a real tragedy." Steve said sarcastically.

"Hey, you better be careful, man." Pony nodded knowingly. "They might make you wash out some of that pomade."

Steve thought about joining in on the fun, maybe clutching his head in horror, but he decided that wouldn't be very cool. Besides, Pony might die of shock. So he just went with a simple. "Funny." And turned back to the movie, in which alien pod people were now running wild in the streets.

Steve thought that might be kinda cool if that happened in Tulsa. Maybe they could take all the Soc's far away, like Canada. And they could make it rain cheese pizza. Steve loved cheese pizza. Oh, and cigarette's. It could rain cheese pizza and cigarettes. And maybe the aliens could take over Two Bit for a little while, just long enough for Steve to ask Alana to a movie.

Yeah right, like _that'_s ever gonna happen.

It wasn't long before the movie was over. Alana noticed that her brother had lipstick smeared along his chin and the side of his neck. Can you say EW?

"So, how was the movie?" Soda asked, brushing popcorn in his hair. "And how did all this popcorn get in my hair?"

Steve shrugged, even though he was the one who threw it there. "The movie was funny. Stupid, but funny. See, there were all these Pod People, and then Pony tried to hide under his seat and they stole my pomade…"

"Huh?" Soda was completely confused.

Steve grinned, wondering if he missed all kinds of fun stuff when he was making out at the drive-in. "Never mind."

The eight of them walked to The Dingo to get some food. They knew almost everyone there and spent the better part of two hours eating fries and going from car to car, talking to different people.

Steve stuck with Alana the whole time. Thankfully, no one seemed to think this was odd. Of course, they were surrounded by people, namely her brother, so why would anyone think it was odd?

Someone was listening to Hank Williams and Alana had started to hum along.

"I know that Hank is kinda hokey," She told Steve. "But I love him anyway." She paused. "Don't tell anyone, 'kay?"

Steve nodded. "Okay." I he thought that Hank Williams was hokey, too, but if Alana liked him, maybe he should give the guy a second listen to.

"-promise?" Alana was asking.

"Huh?"

"I said, do you promise?"

"Oh, yeah, I promise I won't tell anyone that you're in love with a dead cowboy." Steve grinned evilly.

"Drop dead."

"Aw, now that's not very nice." Steve started to drape his arm over her shoulder, but before he could get it, Two Bit came up, his hand intertwined tightly with Grace's.

"Hey, we're getting' ready to go. Ponyboy has to be home in ten minutes."

"Great." Steve muttered darkly. Why couldn't things ever go his way?

* * *

"He kissed me!" Beth squealed as soon as Alana shut her bedroom door. 

"What!" Alana couldn't believe it. "Ponyboy kissed you! Oh my God!"

"I know, I know!" Beth was practically ready to burst. Boing Kitty hissed and ran to hide under the bed. He wasn't much for excitement.

"What kind of kiss? Like just a peck…or…"

"Okay, it was on the mouth, no tongue." Beth flopped back on the bed. "It was the best kiss I ever had."

"Uh, Beth, it was the _only_ kiss you ever had." Alana pointed out.

Beth waved her hand dreamily. "Minor detail."

Alana had to admit she was a little jealous. She'd never been kissed before, and by someone as cute and sweet as Ponyboy? Well, she would probably just die.

* * *

"_So_…" Soda thumped Steve on the back. 

"So….what?"

"You and Alana looked pretty chummy tonight."

"And?"

"Did anything happen?"

"Well," Steve stalled. "I flicked about fifteen pieces of popcorn in your hair and you never noticed."

"I mean, did anything happen with Alana, stupid!"

"Hey, it's not nice to call people names, retard!" Steve was still stalling, because the truth was, nothing had happened with Alana. Sure, they'd had fun and talked about really stupid things, like how come you never saw squirrels going to the bathroom? Have you ever met a person who's stepped in squirrel crap? I didn't think so. But other than that, nothing. No kiss, just a quick '_good night_'.

Soda looked deadly. "Are you telling me that you spent the whole evening with her and you didn't make _one single move_?"

"Uh…I threw a lot of popcorn?" Steve suggested vaguely.

"_Popcorn? Who cares about the stinking popcorn?_!" Soda said loudly. "You should've just kissed her!"

"Her brother was there the whole time!"

"So!"

"So!"

"Hey!" The door flew open and Darry marched in, followed by Pony. "What in God's green earth is going on in here?"

"Steve's being a wimp!" Soda said. "He won't ask Alana out!"

"You like Alana?" Ponyboy howled.

"_Sodapop! You weren't supposed to tell_!" Steve exploded.

Soda shrugged. "Whoops."

"_Whoops_? All you can say is _whoops_?"

Darry looked confused. "What exactly is going on?"

Sodapop sighed and rolled his eyes. "Okay, Steve likes Alana, but he's he doesn't want to do anything about it, because we all know that Two Bit turns into this insane head case whenever his sister is involved. So, I'm trying to help him out, but he won't make any moves at all…what's wrong with you, man?"

"Uh…dementia?"

Soda rolled his eyes.

"Well, maybe you could ask her out and then keep it a secret?" Darry suggested.

Steve glared at Sodapop. "Right."

"Hey, what're you looking at me for?" Soda grinned sheepishly.

"Because you have a big mouth!" Steve flopped back on the bed and covered his head with a pillow.

His life sucked.


	3. I'd Rather Ride Around With You

**Author's Note: Here we are, back again. I hope everyone likes this chapter. I had a lot of fun writing it. It's fun, the mystery that is Steve Randle. Uh, that was a joke. Oh, and the whole thing with Alana and Two Bit's mom going out on a date might not make much sense now, but it plays an important part later. And in this chapter we get to see a very sweet Steve, and a slightly mad Two Bit. Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**"Alana! I have to talk to Alana!" Two Bit burst into the Curtis household, where his sister was hanging out with Beth and Ponyboy. 

"What's the matter?" Alana asked, alarmed. "Did Boing Kitty eat another sock?" Her cat was in the bad habit of eating things he shouldn't. A month before, he had eaten one of Two Bit's socks and had to be rushed to the vet, or he might have died.

"No, no, the cat's fine! You're not going to believe this! It's huge! It's huger than huge! It's-!"

"Two Bit!" Alana cut in. "What're you talking about?"

"Guess what Mom's doing tonight?"

"Washing her hair? How should I know?"

Two Bit shook his head. "Uh-uh. She has a date."

Alana nearly fell out the window. "_What_! What'd you mean, _a date_?"

"I mean a real, live man comes to the house and takes her out."

Alana gaped. A man was taking their mom out? "Who is it?" She finally managed.

"That's the clincher." Two Bit shook his head. "It's Mr. Donaldson."

"_What_!" For the second time in five minutes, Alana nearly fell out the window. "Mr. Donaldson? Are you sure?"

"Sure, I'm sure. She just told me about it, asked if we had a teacher named Erik Donaldson. I told her yeah, why? And then she goes, well, he comes down to the bar sometimes and he's been asking me out. We're going tonight."

Mr. Donaldson taught Literature at Walt Whitman High. He was a nice man and Alana liked him, but…well, how would you feel if your mom was dating your teacher? It's kinda gross.

Ponyboy looked from Two Bit to Alana and back again. "Your mom doesn't date much?"

"Try never." Two Bit answered. He shook his head again. "That's not the only reason I came over." He had an odd look on his face. "Uh, Alana? Can I talk to you for a sec? Uh, outside?"

Alana shot Pony and Beth confused looks. They both shrugged. "Sure, Two Bit, I guess." She followed her brother outside. "What's up?"

"Well," He started. He scratched his head, like he always did when he wasn't sure what to say. "It's about Steve, actually…"

"What about Steve?" She asked suspiciously.

"I've, uh, noticed that you two are bein' kinda buddy-buddy and I just wanted to tell you not to, uh…you know…Steve has a reputation and…I don't want you to get hurt…"

"Keith," She only used his real name when she was starting to get mad. "What're you trying to say?"

"What I'm trying to say is that maybe you shouldn't hang around him so much…"

"You can't tell me who to hang around with!" Alana exploded. "How would you like it if I told you not to hang around with Soda? Or Grace? Huh? How would _you_ like that?"

"Alana, I'm just tryin' to protect you!" Two Bit was starting to get mad now.

"I don't need your protection! I'm a big girl! I can take care of myself, thank you very much!"

"Well…" Two Bit wasn't sure how to respond to that. "Just stay away from him." He finally said.

"_Aughhh_!" Alana threw her hands in the air and marched into the house.

"What's wrong?" Beth asked.

"I hate my brother! He's the biggest, stupidest jerk in the world!"

"I guess the talk didn't go so well." Ponyboy said.

"I can't believe him! Can you believe him? Like he has a right to tell me who I can hang around with! He's such a hypocrite!" Alana paced the length of the living room.

"Alana, what did he say?" Ponyboy asked. He and Beth had been watching the two siblings from the window, but they couldn't hear anything that was being said.

"He said…that he wanted me to stay away from Steve…because he didn't want me to get hurt. Isn't that stupid? Like there's anything going on between me and Steve! Like he'd ever be interested in me!"

Ponyboy looked away. He didn't want to make Steve mad by telling Alana that he was interested. Very interested, from what Pony could see.

Beth caught her boyfriend's gaze. She knew that Steve was into Alana; it was extremely obvious, especially if Two Bit had noticed something. Well, it was obvious to everyone but Alana.

"Well," Alana finally said slowly. "I'm gonna go home."

"Are you okay?" Ponyboy asked. "You don't have to leave."

"I know. I'm just bummed out. I'm probably not very good company right now. Besides, I want to go see about this date my mom's goin on. See you guys tomorrow."

"Wait, won't your brother be there?" Beth asked.

Alana shook her head. "No. He's going to Grace's. What else is new?"

"Oh."

"Yeah." Alana sighed. "Well, bye."

"Bye."

"Later, Alana."

Alana walked home slowly. Spring was slowly approaching, so it wasn't exactly cold out. She took her sweatshirt (actually, it was Two Bit's, she realized disdainfully) and tied it around her waist. Why did her brother have to such a big jerk? It wasn't any of his business who she hung around with.

_Grr_.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the Curtis's, Darry, Steve, and Soda had just come home from work to find Beth and Pony looking pretty cozy on the couch. 

"Ah-_HEM_!" Darry cleared his throat loudly and Ponyboy and Beth jumped apart. "No hanky-panky under this roof, Pony, you got it?"

Ponyboy turned bright red. So did Beth. "Yeah, I, uh, got it."

Soda was shaking with silent laughter. He knew it was mean, but it was pretty funny to come home and find his little brother making out on the couch with an actual girl and not a pillow or his arm or something.

"Where's Alana?" Steve asked. Soda rolled his eyes.

"Oh, she went home." Beth said. "Two Bit stopped by and they got into it pretty bad."

"They did?" Darry had never really known of the Matthews siblings to fight. "About what?"

"Er…she didn't say." Pony said, nudging Beth with his elbow. Telling them that Two Bit had warned Alana to stay away from Steve, well, that wouldn't result in anything good. "She just said that she wasn't being good company and that she wanted to go home. Oh, and her mom has a date tonight. With Mr. Donaldson."

Well, after everyone got over the initial shock that someone had asked Mrs. Matthews out and that it was Mr. Donaldson, Soda revealed his brilliance once again.

"Okay," He said loudly. "I have a plan, Steve."

"Oh God, what _now_?" The last time Soda had said those words, he and Steve had spent a night in jail for disturbing the peace and defacing public property.

"No, it's a good plan!" Soda defended himself. "See, what you do is go over to the Matthews' and pretend to be looking for Two Bit. Then, when she say's, _oh he's not here_-."

"How'd you know he's not home?" Pony asked curiously.

Sodapop waved his hand impatiently. "He told us earlier. Anyway, Steve, after she say's that he's not home, you just be all '_oh, then I guess I'll have to hang out with you'_."

Steve had to admit that was a pretty good idea. "Then what?" He asked.

"Take her to the river." Beth suggested. "She likes to walk in the sand."

"Okay." Steve nodded. "But, what if she doesn't want to hang around with me?"

"Believe me," Darry said. "She does. Now go home and get cleaned up."

"Yeah, and come by tonight and tell me everything." Soda told him. "Go!"

"I'm going, I'm going!"

* * *

Alana stretched out on the couch. She was watching '_Meet Me in St. Louis'_ and still fuming over her brother. Just who did he think he was? 

A knock at the door took her out of her reverie. "Who is it?" She called.

"It's Steve." Came the answer. "Hi." He said when she opened the door.

"Hey. What's up?"

"I'm looking for your brother."

"He's not here." Alana felt her heart sink. She was kinda hoping he was there to see her.

"Oh, well, that's okay." Steve was saying. "I'll just hang out with you. Wanna go for a ride?"

"Oh…okay." She grinned. "Sit down, let me run and get my shoes."

Steve sat down on the couch and Boing Kitty jumped up onto his lap. He scratched him between his ears. This was the fattest cat he'd ever seen.

"Okay, I'm ready." Alana had returned. She looked pretty cute, Steve thought, in a pair of ripped blue jeans and a fittedblue t-shirt. She'd pulled her sandy blonde hair back in a headband andslipped on a pair of faded sneakers. "Let's go."

They walked to Steve's car. She glanced at him. He didn't look like he'd just come from work. He had cleaned up and she could smell aftershave. Since when did he shave just to come and see Two Bit?

"Where're we going?" She asked after they'd climbed in.

"To the river." He answered. "Is that okay?"

"Are you kidding? I love the river."

"Good." Steve turned the radio on and sang along softly.

"So…" Alana wasn't sure what to say. She knew she was going strictly against her brother's wishes, but as of right now, she didn't care. They were just hanging out, it's not like they were going to make out or something. Well, maybe if she was lucky…

* * *

"Aren't you cold?" Steve asked thirty minutes later. They were walking along the sandy beach of the Arkansas River and Alana had taken her shoes off. 

"I like to feel the sand beneath my feet." She told him. "You should try it."

"I think I'll pass." Steve said.

"Oh, come on. No one's gonna see you walking in your bare feet. Your reputation will stay intact, I promise."

"No, I-."

"Please? It'll be fun." Alana smiled. "For me?"

How could he resist that?

"Oh, all right." Steve quickly untied his sneakers and pulled them off, then his socks. He rolled them into a ball and tucked them into his left shoe. "_Burr_. This sand is _cold_."

"Oh, don't be a wuss. It's not _that_ cold. Come on," She took his hand and swung it back and forth. "Let's walk."

They walked down the beach. Steve felt like James Dean or something, walking bare foot down the beach with a pretty girl. It was kinda cool, just as long as no one ever found out about it.

Alana couldn't believe daring. She was holding Steve's hand on the beach. It was amazing. His hand was warm and kinda rough. It was so big it enveloped hers. She smiled up at him. God, he was cute.

They walked in silence for a few minutes. "So, what did you and Two Bit fight about earlier?" He asked.

"How'd you know about that?"

_Busted_! "Uh…Pony told me."

"Oh. Well, actually…we fought about…you."

"_Me_?" Steve was surprised. "Why'd you guys fight about me for?"

"Uh…well, Two Bit thinks that there's something going on between us."

Steve chewed his lip. "And what did you tell him?" he asked finally.

"I told him no, there wasn't."

"So you lied to him?"

"Huh?" Alana looked up. "Steve, what'd you mean?"

"Well…" He could practically hear Sodapop coaching him. '_Okay, this is it, buddy. Now or never_!' "Look, Alana, I like you."

"I like you too, Steve."

"No, I mean, I _really_ like you. Like, as more than my friend's kid sister. You know?" Steve felt like he was babbling. Was he even making any sense?

"Yeah, I think I do." She turned to face him.

Steve had never actually been this close to her before. Their faces were only a few inches apart. He'd never realized how much taller than Alana he was. She barely came up to his chin. But now she was on her tiptoes, leaning towards him with her eyes closed. Steve closed his eyes too and their lips met.

It was Alana's first kiss and she thought it was wonderful. Okay, so it wasn't all fireworks and violins, but she had expected that. She felt funny, like she was lowering herself into a warm bath. Alana could feel Steve's tongue, it was brushing against her lips, and she opened her mouth. Well, now this wasn't so bad. He tasted like peppermint.

They walked slowly back to Steve's car, his arm around her. There was a Soc beer blast going on somewhere down the beach; the sounds of their music floated back up to Steve and Alana.

"_Put your head on my shoulder_

_Hold me in your arms, baby_

_Squeeze me oh so tight_

_Show me that you love me, too"_

Steve tightened his arm around her. "So…" He said. "Are we going together now?"

She smiled. "I guess we are. I mean, if you want too."

"_I _want too. Do _you_ want too?"

"Do you even have to ask that?" She smiled up at him.

"I guess not." He paused. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, a little."

"Wanna get a burger or something?"

"Sure."

They drove to Jay's and Steve held her hand across the seat. "Can you drive?" He asked after he ordered their food.

Alana shrugged. "Sort of. I need to learn, so I can get my licenses when I turn sixteen in July."

"I could teach you." Steve said. "I mean, if you want me too. I can drive pretty well."

Alana snorted. That was the understatement of the decade.

* * *

"Okay!" Soda demanded as soon as Steve walked through the door. "You're smiling! What happened?" 

"Well…I did it. I kissed her, and she didn't slap me or anything."

"Yes!" Soda punched the air and then started dancing around like maniac. "I knew you could do it! So, are y'all goin' together now?"

"I guess."

"You _guess_?"

"We are." Steve smiled.

"What about Two Bit?" Pony asked from the doorway.

"Why are you eavesdropping, little man?" Steve asked.

"It's my house." Pony shrugged. "So, what are you gonna tell Two Bit? He isn't gonna be happy."

"I know." Steve shrugged. "Alana said to leave that to her. She'll figure that out. In the meantime, you guys," He looked directly at Sodapop. "Can't say anything to anyone. You dig?"

"Why are you looking at me for?" Soda asked.

Pony shook his head and rolled his eyes. "I won't say nothin'. Promise."

"Yeah, same here." Soda nodded solemnly, but his smile broke out again. "So, does she kiss good?"

Steve grinned. "It was great."

And, for a few days at least, all was good.


	4. Sick Inside

Not so surprisingly, Alana felt really cruddy about trying to keep her new relationship a secret from her brother. She'd never kept a secret from him before, and she tried to keep from lying to him. Seems like that she was all she was doing now. But she knew that if Two Bit knew about her and Steve, he'd have a heart attack and try to lock her in the dungeon. Not that they actually had a dungeon, but you know what I mean.

It was hard, keeping it from Two Bit, but he wasn't very observant. Alana was just glad they weren't trying to keep it a secret from everyone. Take Beth, for instance. The day after Alana and Steve started going together; Beth came over to hang out. All it took was one look at Alana's face and she knew something was up.

"Okay!" She demanded. "What's going on? Did Boing Kitty eat your shoelace again?"

Leave it to Beth. Well, Alana wasn't very surprised. She and Beth had been best friends forever, so they can always tell when something's going on. They bonded in the first grade, when Artie Lobell whipped out his you-know-what in the lunch line. Beth, having never seen one before, was totally shocked. Alana, on the other hand, had spent the last six years living with Two Bit. She just looked Artie in the eye and said, "I've seen bigger."

Artie never exposed himself again and that cemented Alana and Beth's friendship.

Anyway, Beth looked closely at her best friend. "Does this have something to do with Steve?"

"_Shh_! Two Bit's in the next room!" Alana quickly shut her bedroom door. "I don't want him to know!"

"Oh, sorry." Beth shrugged. She was lucky, Alana thought, she didn't have to keep her boyfriend a secret from one of the most important people in her life.

* * *

Now, here it was two weeks later. Beth had spent the night and they'd been up most of it, talking about Steve and Ponyboy. Seemed like that was all they talked about now.

"Hey," Two Bit was knocking on the door. Beth and Alana exchanged panicked looks. Had he heard? "Mom's making pancakes." He opened the door. "You want?"

Alana shrugged. "Sure. She's _cooking_?"

"Yeah, and _singing_. Her date must've gone well." Two Bit shuddered. "What if they get married? Mr. Donaldson might move in here. It would be like being in school all the time! He might talk about books at the table and-."

"Two Bit, it's only been three dates. It isn't time to worry yet." Alana nodded. "So stop freaking out, okay?"

"Right, okay." He paused, then smiled and shut the door behind him. He and Alana had made up the day after their fight and Alana had been feeling increasingly worse ever since.

"I feel like crap." Alana flopped back on her bed.

"Why's that?"

"I hate having to lie when I wanna see Steve. This really sucks. I hate lying to my brother."

Beth nodded. "I know."

"Girls?" Mrs. Matthews was knocking on the door. "Come on out, Erik's here!"

"Erik?" Alana whispered. "Who's…ah, crap."

Beth and Alana made their way into the kitchen and sure enough, Mr. Donaldson was sitting at the table, next to Two Bit, who was spreading peanut butter on his pancakes and looking extremely nervous.

"Hello, Alana, hello Beth." Mr. Donaldson said.

"Er, Hi." Beth answered. Alana nodded and looked around in amazement. _Someone had actually cleaned the house_! She practically passed out in shock.

"Aren't you going to say hi to Erik, Alana?" Mrs. Matthews asked.

"Oh, yeah. Uh, hi." She was trying to stifle giggles, as Two Bit was making fish faces behind Mr. Donaldson and their mother's back. She and Beth sat down quickly and ate the pancakes Mrs. Matthews gave them.

"Well," Mr. Donaldson said after a few minutes. "Are you ready to go, Helen?"

"Go?" Two Bit demanded around a mouth full of peanut butter. "Go _where_?"

"Erik and I are going to the race track."

"Mom, you don't gamble." Alana pointed out.

Her mother just shook her head. "We'll be back later." She told her children.

"Well, how do you like that?" Two Bit said, taking the last bite of his pancake. "Blown off for the Literature teacher. What a jip!"

Alana shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

"Oh well." Two Bit opened the fridge and pulled out a few bottles of beer. "I'm goin' to Soda's. You two wanna tag along?"

"Sure."

"Alana, you better get dressed first." He pointed out.

Alana looked down, and sure enough, she was still in her pink and white striped nightgown. _Her teacher had seen her in her nightgown_. This was almost as bad as him seeing her in her _underwear_.

Two Bit and Beth were both laughing. Alana glared at her brother. "I hate you."

"Oh, but wuv you!" He planted a big, sloppy kiss on the side of her head. "Now, go get dressed, or I'll tell everyone that Mr. Donaldson saw you in you nightie."

"It is not a _nightie_!" She said witheringly.

Unfortunately, Two Bit did tell everyone about Mr. Donaldson seeing Alana in her nightgown.

"-And, so there's Alana in this stupid pink and white nightie with teddy bears on the front-."

"You bought it for me for Christmas!" Alana protested. "And it's not a nightie! How many freakin' times do I gotta tell ya? It's a_ nightgown! **NIGHTGOWN**_**."**

Two Bit rolled his eyes. "Okay, Fine. A nightgown, then. Anyway, she standin' there in her nightgown and doesn't even realize it and Mr. Donaldson's all, hey baby, you're lookin' good-."

"Hey was not!" Beth protested. "You are such a liar, Two Bit Matthews! I don't think he even noticed Alana. He was too busy staring at your mom."

"Yeah," Two Bit's voice turned bitter. "So he can take her to the race track. She doesn't even gamble!"

"You don't have to gamble to go to the track, you know." Pony pointed out.

"I know, but he'll probably trick her into it or something."

"That doesn't sound very likely." Soda said.

"Yeah." Steve added.

Two Bit was surprised; Steve had actually kept quiet up till now. He'd never known Steve to keep his opinions to himself. But now, he was just sitting there on the couch, next to Alana…why was he sitting next to Alana? And why did he keep looking at her?

Two Bit had figured out that Steve had set his sights on his baby sister, but Alana was too smart to get involved with him. Wasn't she? It's not like they were doing anything, just sitting there. And as hard as he had tried, he couldn't keep her away from Steve. She never listened to him, anyway. He told her and told her and she just kept right on, doing her own thing.

Ah…well… it isn't like he had any proof.

Steve wondered why Two Bit kept looking at him. Did he know about him and Alana? Maybe he shouldn't have sat next to her. But they weren't sitting that close together, not like Pony and Beth, who were practically on top of each other, they were so close. Of course, they were sharing the arm chair, so it was a tight squeeze.

Alana noticed immediately that Steve and Two Bit were giving each other the ol' hair eyeball. It made her nervous. Steve kept brushing her hand and she was dying to kiss him again, but not here in front of everybody. This was harder than she thought. She would have to figure out a way to tellher brother,and soon. Besides, what could he do? He couldn't keep them apart. Okay, he might get mad, but that wouldn't be so bad.

Yeah, right. If she had known how bad it was going to get, Alana would run screaming in thye other direction.

* * *

"I hate school." Beth announced a little while later.

"Uh, okay." Soda said. "That was random."

Actually, it wasn't. Pony was helping her with her science homework, but Soda wasn't paying attention.

"I just don't get it." Beth continued as if Sodapop had never spoken.

"Me either." Alana agreed.

Pony was flipping through Beth's notebook. "This is exactly why you two don't get it." He said, finally stopping on a certain page. "If you'd pay attention instead of doing stuff like this, it might make more sense."

"Yes, daddy." Alana said.

Soda snatched the notebook off the table, looked at the page Pony had turned to, and started to read it out loud.

**The Beth Richards Top 10 Cutest Guy List (compiled during science, with added commentary by Alana Matthews) **

**1. ****Ponyboy Curtis (disagree! Not that I don't think Pony is cute, because he is, but I've known him too long to think of him as anything but a brother.) **

**2. ****Sodapop Curtis (agree! Now, I know I've known him as long as I've known Pony, but sheesh! Soda is gorgeous! **

**3. ****Two Bit Matthews (disagree! He's my brother! Not only is that completely sick and inappropriate, it's also illegal in the great state of Oklahoma.) **

**4. ****Steve Randle (AGREE! I must force myself to stop thinking about Steve's amazing hands, lips, shoulders, eyes, kisses…uh, wait. Can I start over?) **

**5. ****Elvis (agree! He might be getting old, but he's still hot.) **

**6. ****Mike from The Monkees (agree! There's something kinda sexy about that green sock cap he wears.) **

**7. ****John Lennon (agree! What can I say? I'm a sucker for Brits.) **

**8. ****That guy in the Levi jeans add in the back of this month's Cosmo (agree! Who _IS_ that guy? They should give him his own TV show or something.) **

**9. ****James Dean (duh!) **

**10. ****Caption of the Walt Whitman High Fightin' Falcons football team, Alex Kent (strongly disagree! He's a soc! And his big, fat, socy head is out of proportion with his stupid, meat body!) **

"Well," Ponyboy said when Soda finished reading. "That was interesting."

"Yeah," Two Bit added. "It was." He was looking directly at Steve and Alana and she realized too late what was written about Steve. _Oh crap_. Now he knew how she felt about him. _Oh crap_.

"You think I'm cuter than Ponyboy!" Soda asked. "Alana, I knew I always loved you."

"Uh, Alana?" Two Bit asked. His voice sounded funny. "Can I talk to you outside?"

Alana almost choked. She glanced at Steve and met his eyes. They both knew what was about to happen.

"Uh, sure…" She got up and followed him out the door.

"Why don't we go in the kitchen?" Ponyboy suggested. "I have a bad feeling this is about to get ugly."

Steve nodded. He felt like he was about to be sick. He knew that Two Bit was bound to catch on sooner or later, but he was really hoping it would be the latter.

"Should I be out there with her?" He asked Soda. "I mean, this is about me, too."

"But it's between them right now." Pony pointed out. "If you go out Two Bit's liable to start something."

"Uh, no offense, Pony." Beth said. "But I think something's already been started."

They kitchen fell quiet and sure enough, you could hear Two Bit and Alana shouting at each other.

"How long has it been going on, Alana?" Two Bit demanded as soon as they were out the door.

"What?" She asked, feigning stupidity.

"This thing with you and that craddle robber, Steve!"

"Two weeks." She answered. "And don't call him that!"

"_Two weeks_? Who else knows?"

"Beth, Soda, Pony, and Darry."

"Everyone but me. Why am I not surprised?" Two Bit shook his head in disgust. "Wereyouplanning on telling me any time soon?"

"Uh, yes?" She tried to crack a smile, tried to get him to see the humor in the situation. Alana hadn't seen her brother this angry, or hurt, since…since the night he came home crying about Johnny and Dally.

"You could have told me, Alana." He said. He had stopped yelling, but this tone was worse. "I might not have liked it, but you could have told me."

"I didn't want you to get mad." She said lamely.

"Well, that plan didn't work very well, now did it?" Two Bit spat out. "You know, whatever. I'm finished. Just go back to your boyfriend." He stalked to his car and drove away. Alana watched him; he didn't even stop at the **STOP** sign at the end of the road.

She sat down on the front steps and cried and cried. Finally, she felt someone's arm's around here, leading her back into the house. She caught a whiff of peppermint and knew that it was Steve.

"He hates me." She sobbed into his shirt front. "We should've just told him from the beginning."

"He doesn't hate you." Pony said. "He's just mad that you…_we_ didn't tell him. He'll get over it."

Alana shrugged and continued to cry.

This was bad.

Steve spent most of the afternoon trying to cheer Alana up, but he felt nearly as bad as she did. Maybe he should have talked to Two Bit before chasing after his little sister.

"Who died?" Darry asked when he walked through the door and saw all the gloomy faces.

"Two Bit." Alana said vaguely.

"Two Bit _died_? How come no one called me?"

"No," Pony rolled his eyes. "He's not dead. He's mad."

Steve snorted. "That's understatement of the century." He said.

"He knows, doesn't he?" Darry looked from Alana to Steve. They nodded. "Ah, well, give him time. He'll get over it. I think."

"Thanks Darry." Steve said sarcastically. "You're so reassuring."

"Look, it's after five." Darry said. "And it's been a long day. Steve, maybe you should get these girls home."

"Yeah." Alana nodded. "We can try to talk to my brother, Steve."

"Okay." Steve wasn't so sure that would work, but he was willing to try. Two Bit was one of his best friends; he could stand the thought of him being mad.

Steve's car was silent on the trip home. No one felt much like talking. Two Bit's car wasn't there when they pulled into the driveway, but Mr. Donaldson's was.

"Great." Alana muttered. "Well, let's go."

Alana got an eerie feeling as they walked into the house. It was quiet, too quiet and Mr. Donaldson was sitting at the table. He jumped up when he saw them.

"Alana, thank God." He said. "You're mother's at the hospital, there's been an accident."

Alana felt her knee's growing weak. "Mom…?"

"No, it's Two Bit." Mr. Donaldson ducked his head. "He's in critical condition. They don't know if…" He trailed off. "Come on, we have to get to the hospital."

"We can take my car." Steve said. "Beth, you stay here and call the Curtis'. Let them know what's going on. They can pick you up on their way to the hospital."

"Okay." Beth nodded and hurried towards the phone.

"This is all my fault." Alana whispered as she climbed back into Steve's car.

* * *

**Author's Note: Haha! A cliffhanger! Bow to my superiorness! Uh..yeah..sorry about that. Anyway, poor Two Bit! Wah! He had to find out though. A lot of people are probably wondering why I'm goin through this story so fast. It's because I want to get it done and I won't have time in the next few weeks. Oh, and I know things maybe getting a litle soap opera like, but hey, it's just a story!**


	5. Cry

**One Week Later-**

The hospital room was eerie, Alana thought. She wondered how many people had died in it, but then quickly pushed that thought from her mind. She was alone on the room, her mother having just left.

She looked at her brother, with his cut and bruised face, the tubes running from his nose and arms. She held his hand in hers, rubbing in gently.

"The keep telling me to go home, Two Bit, but I'm not going anywhere. Not till you wake up." She told him. "This is all my fault. I should've told you about Steve. I just didn't want you to be mad at me." Now that she thought about it, the whole thing was stupid. She should have been up front with her brother when he asked what was going on between her and Steve. None of this would have happened.

"Hey." A soft voice brought her out of her thoughts. Steve was standing in the doorway. "I brought your homework."

Alana had been excused from school for a few weeks and Steve, Beth, or Pony were taking turns bringing her homework to her at the hospital. Steve brought it most the time, because he spent as long as the nurses would let him in Two Bit's room. He didn't want to leave Alana. A few nights before, he came in the middle of the night. He'd gotten into it with his old man. The nurse on duty cleaned his cuts for free, though.

"Hey." She said, making room for him to sit down.

"Any change?"

"No."

Two Bit was in a coma, as far as the doctors could tell. He'd ran a STOP sign and another car smashed into him. He hadn't been wearing his seatbelt and was thrown through the windshield. His right leg was broken and he was suffering some head trauma, but other than that he was okay. Except for the fact that he wouldn't wake up. The doctors were encouraging Alana, Mrs. Matthews, and all of their friends to talk to Two Bit.

"Act likes he's awake, doing the things he normally does. Treat him like you always do."

"Hey, buddy." Steve sat down and patted Two Bit's arm. "How ya doin'? We sure miss you a lot. Grace said she'll be by later."

Grace, Two Bit's girlfriend was nearly as upset about this as Alana was. She was spending a lot of time at the hospital too and she and Alana were getting to know each other pretty well. Alana hoped that Two Bit stayed with this one. She was a keeper!

Steve slipped his arm around Alana. "Everything's gonna be okay, Alana. I promise."

She laid her head against his chest. "I hope so."

"It will be. He'll come round in time. We just gotta keep talking to him, acting like nothings wrong." He looked down into her face. She looked peaked and pale. "I'm gonna run and get you a burger."

"I'm not hungry."

"You need to eat, babe."

"Steve, _I said I wasn't hungry_." She snapped, then immediately felt bad about it. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "It's okay." Normally he wouldn't take that off a girl, but he thought he could cut Alana some slack. "I understand. You're…you're under a lot of stress."

She smiled sadly. "I'm lucky to have such a sweet boyfriend."

Steve smiled in spite of himself. Over the past few years' girls had called him a lot of things, but sweet was never one of them. It felt good to be nice. He and Alana hadn't even done anything yet, besides kiss. Not that he didn't want, because, well, he did, but it didn't seem right now, after Two Bit. After Two Bit woke up…well, who knows?

"How about that burger, huh?" He tried again.

Alana rolled her eyes. He wasn't going to give up, she could see that. "Fine." She said. "A bacon cheeseburger. And, uh, grab me a Pepsi, too will ya?"

"Sure." Steve was relieved that she was finally agreeing to eat something. "I'll be right back."

Alana could hear him out in the hallway, talking to someone. A few seconds later, Grace appeared in the doorway.

"Hey." She said, pushing some of her long blonde hair from her face. "No change?"

"Nope."

Grace took the chair on the other side of Two Bit and took his other hand.

"Hey, hon." She said to him. "How are you? Well, that's a stupid question, isn't it…?"

Alana tried to tune out Grace's one-sided conversation. She studied her brother's girlfriend. She was a pretty girl, Alana had decided, with her blonde hair and blue eyes. She was short, barely taller than Alana (who, at only 5'0, was used to that) and kind of quiet, which was surprising. Two Bit normally liked his women to be as loud as he was.

"Um, not a lot's been happening." Grace was saying. "Natalie and Sara want me to tell you hi. My mom's getting remarried, but you already knew that, didn't you? You'll be awake by that time, so you can be my date to the wedding. I'm the Maid of Honor; I have to have a date..."

Alana felt like she was intruding on a date or something, but what could she do? Grace didn't seem to mind, so Alana didn't do anything. She just sat there, occasionally rubbing her brother's hand.

"Here's your burger…" Steve burst back into the room, carrying a greasy bag. "Oh, sorry, Grace."

"It's okay." Grace said, smiling sadly. "I know I'm babbling; it just feels so weird, trying to pretend that everything's o-okay." She sounded like she was going to start crying at any second.

This made Steve nervous. He'd seen this happen once before. Grace had started to cry and that got Alana going and the next thing he knows, he's got two sobbing chicks on his hands. Uh, yeah, not fun.

"Everything will be okay." He reassured both of them. Anything to keep them from crying. He could handle one girl, but two? Where was Sodapop when he needed him? Soda could cheer anyone up.

Alana was picking at her burger and fries.

At least she was eating.

The next day, the scene in the hospital room was exactly the same, except this time Soda was with them. He had swung by after work with one of those dorky balloons.

"Two Bit'll love this." He said, tying it to the bed. It was a big blue one with 'Get Well Soon!' written on it in fat, yellow letters. "It just say's 'Two Bit Matthews', doesn't it?"

"I thought it said 'Get Well Soon'." A voice from the door said. Everyone looked up to see Ponyboy and Beth. "Any change?"

"No." Grace shook her head, leaning back in her chair. "I hate this, you know? Why won't he wake up?"

"It could be months before he wakes up." Alana said. "It could be years."

"Thank you, Miss. Doom and Gloom." Pony said, plopping down in a chair. "That's the optimistic, upbeat, kinda attitude I like to hear."

Steve shot him the finger. "Shut up, moron."

"Let's not fight, please?" Beth begged. She pushed some of her brown hair from her face. "Please?"

"Yeah." Pony nodded. "Sorry, Alana."

"It's okay." She said. She nudged Steve.

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry too." He said. "I guess."

Alana rolled her eyes at Sodapop, who grinned. He was used to it by now.

"This is stupid." Steve said after a few minutes. "Can't we like, just throw some cold water on him or something?"

"That won't work." Ponyboy shook his head.

"But it would be really funny." Soda said. "You know, if he was awake."

"Which he's not." Alana pointed out.

"He will be." Grace said. "Soon. I know it."

Alana shook her head. As much as she liked Grace, she just didn't see how she could be so upbeat about this whole thing. It just wasn't fair! Her brother didn't deserve this! He was so full of life and it killed her to sit here and watch him just lying in that bed, not moving. It wasn't fair at all.

"How do you know that?" Soda was questioning her. "Are you psychic?"

"Yes." She nodded. "And you better watch what you think, or I'll tell everyone."

"I'm so scared." Soda rolled his eyes. "Hey Darry!"

Darry had just entered the room. "Hi everybody." He said. "Any change?" He asked Alana.

'Why does everyone insist on asking that?' She wondered. "Nope." She said out loud.

"Only seven visitors at a time." A nurse said to them.

Alana counted quickly. "Darry makes seven." She said.

"Oh." The nurse walked on and Alana figured that Darry was so big; he took up the space of two people.

"So, Grace," Soda said. "You can read minds, huh? Can you read Steve's mind? What's he thinking about Alana right now, huh?" He grinned. "Is he thinking about her naked?"

"Soda!" Steve said loudly. "You're sick, man."

Alana rolled her eyes. "I'm not having this discussion." She said.

"Thank God." Two Bit murmured.

* * *

**Author's Note: I know this chapter is short and I know it's another cliffhanger, but I don't have much time. I'm working on another Outsiders story as well, to be posted after this one's finished. I don't have a name for it yet, but I'm working on one. So watch for it, okay?**


	6. Rebel Without a Clue

"_You can't catch me, Na-na-hoo-hoo!" A four-year-old Alana ran through the front yard sprinkler in her underwear. Two Bit chased her. _

"_I'm gonna get you!" He shouted, racing through the water behind her. "Augh! That's cold!"_

_Alana rolled on the grass, laughing. "You're goofy, Two Bit." She said._

"_Ahh, but you love me anyway." He said, dropping down beside her. She crawled up into his lap._

"_Yep."_

"_You're my favorite sister." He told her, tickling her ribs._

"_I'm your only sister!"_

"_Even if I had ten sisters, you'd still be my number one."_

_My number one…number one…number one…_

Two Bit opened his eyes. That was the third time he'd had that dream. It was actually a memory, but he had it while he was sleeping, which made it a dream. It was nice. He'd forgotten that little joke he and his sister had once had, about her being his favorite sister. He wondered if she remembered.

He saw that someone had brought him some lunch. It looked disgusting, but he had yet to talk Soda into sneaking him some real food, so he'd have to make do.

"Hey!" Alana bounced into the room, Steve on her heels. Two Bit still wasn't sure how he felt about the whole thing. It was weird, seeing his buddy and his baby sister kissing and stuff, but Alana seemed happy and apparently, Steve had stayed by her side the whole time Two Bit was out of it.

"Hi." Two Bit grinned and tried to shift his weight. Stupid cast.

"Feelin' all right?" She asked, sitting on his bed. Steve sat down in a chair beside her.

"Peachy keen, jelly bean." He answered, grinning again, then taking a bite of some green Jello. "Hey, Stevie."

"Hi, Two Bit." Steve spared a small smile. Things were still a little edgy with them.

"Were you sleeping?" Alana asked, smoothing his blankets.

"Nah…"

"Good, because well…now, don't get me wrong, Two Bit-."

"Ah, crap." Two Bit sighed. "Here it comes. All aboard for the guilt train."

"Shut up. I'm glad you're awake and all, but cripes! Talk about a heart attack! I nearly fell out a window!"

"Uh, you were nowhere near a window. This Jello sucks. Someone get me a burger. Make that two burgers."

"I don't think so, Coma Boy! No burgers for you!"

"What? Who's in charge around here? I'm older than both of you! What happened to respecting your elders, huh?"

"Guess what?" Alana ignored him.

"What?" Two Bit asked begrudgingly.

"I just saw Dr. Lawson in the hall and he told me that you can come home tomorrow!"

"Thank Christ." Two Bit sighed. He hated this freakin' room, with the dead flowers and Soda's slowly deflating balloon. He was ready to sleep in his own bed again. "How is it that you got to know before me?"

She smiled smugly. "I'm special."

"Yeah, Special Ed."

"Hey, boy-o, I'm not the one who repeated junior year three times."

Two Bit shook his head. "That was harsh, Alana." He said, but he smiled anyway.

"Sorry." She shrugged. "Hey, we gotta go, okay?"

"But you just got here!"

Alana felt bad. "I know, but we just stopped on our way to the Nightly Double."

"Oh, I get it." Two Bit was unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice. "Your dates more important than your brother."

Alana rolled her eyes and Steve felt himself tense.

"Don't be like that, man." He said. "Alana never left your side the whole time you were out. You're awake now and she wants to go out. What's the big deal?" Steve wanted to add more, but forced himself not to.

Two bit opened his mouth to reply, but Alana cut him off with a look. "Fine." He said finally.

"Good." Alana kissed his forehead. "We'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay."

"And no burgers!" She told him as they walked out the door.

"Right."

Steve and Alana had only been gone for about ten minutes when Grace showed up. '_Ah, well_,' Two Bit thought. '_At least someone cares about me.'

* * *

"Why do you have to do that?" Alana demanded as they pulled into the Nightly Double._

"Do what?" Steve asked, searching for an empty parking space.

"Antagonize him like that."

"Alana," Steve pulled into a spot and grabbed the little speaker. "What are you talking about?"

"Two Bit!" She practically shouted. "Why do you have to antagonize him?"

"I don't antagonize him!" Steve defended himself. "I don't even know what antagonize _means_!"

Alana sighed and sat back in her seat.

"Oh, come one, Alana! This is the first date we've had since Two Bit's accident! Let's just…enjoy the movie, okay? Ponyboy said it was really scary." Steve put his arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. "Please?"

Alana nodded. How could she resist that? "Okay." She said.

Ponyboy had been right; the movie _was_ scary. It was called_ Rosemary's Baby_ and it was all about this woman whose carrying the baby of Satan. Alana knew she wouldn't sleep for weeks after she watched it. It even shook Steve up a little bit.

"Oh God, that's _freaky_!" He kept saying.

"Okay, that was thescariest movie I ever saw." Alana declared as they drove away from the Nightly Double. "There's no way I'm going to sleep tonight."

"Well…" A thought had begun to take form in Steve's mind. Two Bit wasn't home and neither was Mrs. Matthews. Maybe…no, Alana wouldn't go for that? Would she?

Hey, you never know unless you try.

"Maybe I should stay for awhile." He told her. "So you're not, you know, scared or anything."

Alana bit her lip. Letting him in the house when no one else was home was a _big_ no-no, but that's what made it fun. "All right."

Steve couldn't believe his luck. She actually said yes! Well, to letting him come in, but it was a start!

"Come on in." Alana said as she opened the door. "It's kinda messy. Sorry."

"No sweat." Steve shrugged. "You should see my house."

"You want a pop or something?" She asked.

Steve shook his head. "No, I'm cool."

"Okay." Alana felt nervous. She'd never been alone in her house with a guy before. Well, besides her brother, but he didn't count.

She sat down on the lumpy couch and Steve sat down beside her. He was sitting closer than normal and it was then Alana realized what was going on.

"Steve…" She started. "I'm scared to, you know…"

Steve chewed the inside of his cheek. He knew what she meant. He also knew that she'd never. "I like you a lot, Alana." He told her. "You don't gotta be scared. I promise I won't hurt you or anything."

She hesitated, then nodded. "Okay."

"Here?" He asked.

"No, let's go to my room." She told him, secretly hoping that she'd picked up all of her dirty underwear and stuff.

Steve followed her back to her bedroom. He realized in all the time that he'd known Alana that he'd never been in her room. It was small, with light blue flowered wallpaper and white furniture. He sat down on her bed and slipped off his shoes.

Alana felt her stomach flutter as she watched Steve undress down to his boxer shorts. Should she do that too? She pulled her t-shirt over her head, wishing that her boobs were bigger.

Steve lay back on her bed, trying not to stare at Alana as she slipped her jeans off. Her stomach was flat and white. "Here." He patted the spot beside him on her bed. She lay down next to him and he kissed her.

This kiss felt different than their others, Alana thought. It was more passionate, maybe? She could feel Steve's hand working its way up her stomach andunder her bra…

Afterward, they lay silently next to one another. It had been painful and awkward for Alana, but sweet nonetheless.

"Are you okay?" Steve whispered. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No." She whispered back. She turned to him and snuggled up closer. She felt very tired all of a sudden. "You didn't hurt me at all."

Steve laced his hand with hers. He could feel her falling asleep beside him. "I love you." He said softly.

Alana's eyes flew open. "_What_?"

Steve looked surprised. _He thought she was asleep_! "I-I said, I love you."

"You love me?" She asked. No one had ever said that to her before. Well, besides her family. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I'm sure." Steve said cautiously. Was this the part where she kicked him out? He didn't know. He'd never told a girl that he loved her before.

"Well…well, I love you too, Steve Randle."

"Really?"

Alana smiled and kissed him. "Really, really. Now hush up so I can go to sleep."

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

"Steve!" Alana whispered. "_Steve_! _Wake up_! It's 6:00! My mom'll be home in twenty minutes! You have to go!"

"Mhmm." Steve groaned and flipped over. "Huh?"

Alana rolled her eyes. "Get dressed! My mom's on her way home!"

Suddenly it registered and Steve jumped up. "_Crap_!" He grabbed his boxers from off the floor and yanked them on. "Where's my shirt?"

"Here." Sometime n the night, Alana had pulled on a nightgown. She also passed him his jeans, socks, and shoes. "Where are you going to go?"

"Probably to the Curtis's." He answered. "If I go home, my old man…" He trailed off. He didn't have to finish, Alana knew what Mr. Randle would do.

They walked out into the living room. Steve kissed her again. "I had fun last night." He said.

She blushed. "Yeah, me too."

"Good. So, you'll come by the Curtis's in a few hours, right? And we'll go to hospital from there?"

"Yeah."

Steve kissed her one last time. "I love you." He couldn't get over it. He _loved_ her! And she felt the same way!

"I love you, too."

_See?_

Steve drove to the Curtis house. It was still dark. Well, no wonder, it the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning. Of course it was dark. They were still asleep.

Steve walked in, trying not to make much noise. There was a blanket and a pillow on the couch for whoever might come by in the middle of the night, needing a place to sleep. Steve stripped back down to his boxers and went back to sleep.

* * *

"What time did you get here?" Steve awoke a few hours later to Ponyboy's voice. "And what happened to your back?"

"About six. And what's wrong with my back?"

"There's red scratches on it." Pony said naively. "Looks like a cat attacked you or somethin'."

"Or somethin'." Steve repressed a smile. Poor Pony; he'd learn soon enough.

"Wait a minute…" Ponyboy had finally caught on. "You mean Alana…and you?"

Steve shrugged. "No one was home." He said, wondering into the kitchen where Darry and Sodapop were eating their breakfast.

"Man, what happened to you back?" Soda asked. "It looks painful."

"I don't think he was experiencing any pain." Pony said, coming in behind Steve. "Could you put your shirt on, please? Your love marks are ruining my appetite."

Darry barked out a laugh. "Love marks, huh? Well, you better not let Two Bit see that. He might fall back into his coma."

"Funny." Steve poured himself a cup of coffee. "Speaking of Two Bit, he's released today. I told Alana that we'd help her get him home." He glanced at the clock. "She should be here soon. And not a word about last night, you dig?"

The three brothers nodded.

"My lips are sealed." Soda added.

"They better stay that way." Steve warned.

"Anybody home?" Alana's voice called out.

"In the kitchen!" Darry shouted.

"Hey!" She said, bouncing into the kitchen, Beth on her heels. Steve thought she looked cute in her ripped jeans and one of Two Bit's Mickey Mouse shirts.

"_Someone's _chipper this morning." Sodapop remarked innocently. Steve kicked him under the table.

Alana just smiled. "Why shouldn't I be? My brother's coming home today. He's _only_ been in the hospital for two weeks. So, let's go already!"

"Um, Alana, can't we eat first?" Soda asked, taking a bite of his chocolate cake.

"Yeah, yeah, just hurry."

Beth rolled her eyes. "Alana, he's not going anywhere. Let the poor guys eat, for Adam's sake."

"Who's Adam?" Ponyboy teased. "Your new boyfriend?"

Beth nodded. "Yep. Jealous?"

Ponyboy laughed. "No, not really."

Alana rolled her eyes. "Okay, we can finish this little love fest on the way to St. Joe's."

Steve slung his arm over her shoulder. "Impatient much?" He teased, and she smiled in spite of herself. His peppermint smell brought back memories from the night before and Alana felt her face grow hot.

"I'm not impatient. I'm just…excited." She answered as Steve nuzzled his face in her neck.

"You smell good." He said. "Like raspberries or something."

She flipped her hair. "That's my new shampoo. It's called Sun-Kissed Raspberry."

"Hmm." Soda shook his head. "Should be called Accident in the Perfume Factory."

"Hardy-har, you're funny." Alana rolled her eyes. "Y'all done yet?"

"As done as we're gonna get with you naggin' us." Darry teased. "Let's go."

"Yay!" Alana started jumping up and down like a little kid. Soda grabbed her hands and they started jumping up and down together.

Steve shook his head. "You guys have mental problems."

Alana stopped jumping. "I know, but its fun! You should try it!"

"I think I'll pass this time." Steve said. "So, who's riding with me?"

"I am!" Soda and Alana both said.

"Okay, then you two can ride in the truck with me." Darry told Beth and Pony.

* * *

"Walking with crutches is hard." Two Bit announced a few hours later, as he practiced limping around the Curtis living room. "You gotta kinda swing."

"Let me try." Soda said. Two Bit handed him the crutches. "_Whee_! This is fu-_whoa_!" Everyone laughed as Soda fell face first onto the floor.

"Fun, huh?" Two Bit asked. "Yep, lot's of fun. How long do I gotta use this thing?"

"Six weeks." Alana answered.

"Well, that's gonna suck." Two Bit remarked. "Hey, at least I'll get special treatment!"

Leave it to Two Bit to see the bright side of a broken leg.


	7. Everything Changes

**Author's Note: Okay, this chapter has skipped ahead a few months, and probably seems kinda rushed. I'm sorry about that, but I didn't have a lot of time to write it.

* * *

**

The weeks went by quickly after Two Bit's accident and spring began to fade into summer. By early June, quite a few things had happened: Steve and Grace graduated high school and Steve started working full time at the DX, Two Bit got his car up and running again, Mrs. Matthews and Mr. Donaldson had gotten married, and Alana celebrated her sixteenth birthday.

But on June 8th, the semi happy world that Alana had created around herself sort of came crashing down. She was throwing up over the toilet, Two Bit holding her hair back, when she caught a glimpse of some sanatiers under the sink. It was then that she realized that she hadn't had her period the month before. It had always been a little irregular (caused by stress, according to her mom) but now it was over two weeks late.

Something was wrong and it hit Alana with the force of a train. But no, that couldn't be right…could it? Yes, Alana, realized with a sinking stomach, it could be.

"-Just don't know what's wrong with you." Two Bit was saying. "This is the fifth morning in a row that you've been sick."

"My periods late." She told him.

Two Bit furrowed his brow, then, as he caught on to what his sister was saying, widened his eyes. "Steve?" He asked slowly, even though he knew it was true.

Alana nodded tearfully. "What am I gonna do, Two Bit?"

"I-I don't know." He said. This wasn't something he had a lot of experience in. "Tell him, I guess."

"What if he gets mad? What if he dumps me?"

"Then that'll prove that he's the big jerk everyone thinks he is." Two Bit patted her back. Ohh, when he got a hold of that boy…how dare he do this to his sister! She was sixteen! That was much, much too young to have a…Two Bit couldn't even fathom it…a baby. "Look, Alana, if he runs out, I'll take care of you."

"You will?"

"Of course! What, did you think I'd just leave my baby girl hangin'?"

Alana giggled in spite of herself. "Well, I guess I better call him."

Two Bit held up his hand. "I'll do it."

"No, I really think-."

"I'm just gonna tell him to get his skinny butt over here, you have a problem. Okay?"

Alana sighed. It was no good, trying to argue with her brother. He was so hard headed! "Okay."

She threw up again, while he was gone, but she could still hear him on the phone.

"Pony? Hey, it's Two Bit. Is Steve there? He is? Can I talk to him for a sec? Okay." He paused, then "Steve? Yeah, it's Two Bit. Look, we've got kind of a problem here and Alana needs you. Can you come? Okay, yeah, see you in a few. Bye."

"He's on his way." He told her, coming back into the bathroom. "He said he'll be right over, but Alana, I don't think he's going to break up with you over this." AS much as it pained Two Bit to see his sister growing up, he'd gotten used to seeing her and Steve together. It didn't really bother him too much. He saw how much Steve cared about his sister, more than he'd ever seen him care about any other girl.

"I hope not. I'm gonna go lay down." She said. "When he gets here, just tell him to come back to my room."

"Okay."

"She's in her room." Two Bit told Steve a few minutes later. "She said you can come back. Hi guys." He said to Ponyboy and Sodapop. "Where's Beth?"

"She's at her Grannie's house today." Pony answered apsently. "What's going on?"

Two Bit shook his head. "Sit down and I'll tell you."

"Well," Steve said after Alana told him and after the initial shock wore off. "I guess the first thing we gotta do is get married."

"What?" Alana was shocked. "Get married? You mean, you wanna stay together?"

"Of course I wanna stay together! I, unlike my old man, don't run from my responsibilities." He narrowed his eyes.

"I thought you'd be mad, Steve." She said.

"Mad? Why would I be mad? I mean, I'm not exactly happy, but I'm not mad. Well, not at you. I'm kinda mad at myself for not being more careful." He shrugged. "Ah, well, what's done is done. So, um, how far along do you think you are?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I need to go to the doctor."

And that's how, the very next day, she and Steve were sitting in the waiting room of Dr. Sarrett's Family Medical Clinic. She had broken the news to her mother and step father (Mr. Donaldson, or Erik, as he had instructed them to call him, actually turned out to be pretty cool. He had a pinball machine!). Needless, to say, Mrs. Mathhews hadn't taken it so well. It had take Erik, Two Bit, Alana, and Steve well over an hour to calm her down. Then, she called the Clinic and set up an appointment for Alana. She had wanted to take her, but Steve had insisted that he do it.

"It's my baby too." He said.

Mrs. Matthews didn't like it, but she finally relented after Alana promised her she could help plan the wedding. "We have to start looking for a dress!" She said.

"You can definitely help her with that, ma'am." Steve said. "I hate shopping."

"Me too." Two Bit declared.

"I thought you hated anything to do with strenuous activity." Alana said, which caused Two Bit to throw his shoe at her.

"Alana Matthews." The nurse called and Steve and Alana followed her back.

The nurse, whose name tag read 'Rose' did all the normal nursey things: weight, height, pulse, blood pressure, asking questions. She fired off tons of questions at both Steve and Alana.

"Name?"

"Alana Leigh Matthews."

"Are you the father, young man?"

"Yes."

"And your name…?"

"Steven Joshua Randle."

"Birth date, Miss. Matthews?"

"May 5th, 1952."

"And you, Mr. Randle?"

"September 27th, 1949."

"Okay." She said when she was done. "Dr. Sarrett will be back in a moment." She handed Alana a paper gown. "If you'll just undress and put this on and wait on the examining table." She drew the curtain around the table so Alana could have some privacy.

"How come they make these clothes paper?" She asked Steve as she sat on the examining table.

"I don't know." He answered from behind the curtain. "Because they can, I guess. Are you nervous?"

"You mean, because a man I've never met is going to be elbow deep in my uterus? Yeah, you could say I'm nervous."

Steve laughed a little uneasily. He still hadn't said anything to his dad about this. Not that it mattered. His old man didn't care anyway. He wouldn't even notice that Steve had moved out.

He fidgeted a little when Dr. Sarrett came in. he was older than Steve had expected, in his early sixties probably, tall with short, iron gray hair. He knew that Steve and Alana were unmarried and that they were greaser's, but he didn't treat them any different, which Steve appreciated.

"Well, Miss. Matthews," He said when he finished Alana's examination. She had dressed and sat back down in one of the hard chairs next to Steve. "I'd say that you most defintley are expecting."

Steve took a deep breath. Well, there went that little hope that she might not be.

"You're roughly eight weeks along." Dr. Sarrett smiled. "But you seem to have a fine young man here to take care of you, so I'm not too worried."

Steve tried not to beam with too much pride.

"I want to see you again in three weeks. Talk to Sally Jo out front, she'll fix you up with an appointment."

"Well," Steve said as they left the clinic ten minutes later. "I guess we have a wedding to plan, huh?"

"Yeah." She smiled softly. "I guess we do."

"So, what do think of Adam as a boy's name?"

"It's nice." She nodded, buckling her seatbelt. "But I like Elijah."

"Elijah? Hmm. Interesting. What about Peter?"

"Ugh. I hate that name? Besides, what if it's a girl, huh?"

"Well, that would be okay too." Steve smiled, imagining a little girl with Alana's light brown hair. "We could call her Charlotte."

"Or Sara."

"Sara's too plain." Steve said. "Let's call her Ocean."

"Ocean? I don't think so! How about Susannah?"

"That's kind of cute." Steve agreed. "You know what name I really like?"

"What's that?"

"Kathryn."

"That's pretty." Alana sighed as they turned onto Delaware Street, where the Curtis's lived. "But we have plenty of time to decide."

"I guess you're right."

"We have seven months. That's more than enough time to pick out names." Alana climbed out.

"Yeah, but I just want our kid to have a good name. I don't wanna stick him with a dorky one like my mom and dad did me."

"I like your name." Alana told him, pushing open the front door. "It's cute."

"Thanks. I guess."

"Okay," Two Bit said as soon as they walked in. "What's going on."

Alana nodded. "In seven months, you'll be an uncle."

Two Bit chewed his lip. "Well, in that case, I think you should call him Keith."

"They're not going to call her Keith." Grace told him. "They want a pretty name, like Anastacia."

"Her?" Two Bit rolled his eyes. "How do you know it's a girl?"

"I just do."

"Hey, I have an idea." Darry spoke up. "How's about you let Steve and Alana name their child. Huh?"

"Oh yeah." Two Bit nodded sheepishly. "Sorry. I just got carried away."

"No, really?" Steve asked sarcastically. Alana elbowed him.

"So, about this wedding…?" Beth started.

"You have to be my Maid of Honor." Alana told her. "And I want you in it too, Grace. You're guys are practically my sisters."

"Maid of Honor?" Steve shook his head. "Are we gonna do all that?"

"Yes, and Soda's going to be your best man." Alana told him.

"Wait, I thought I got to pick my guys!"

"Well, isn't he who you were going to pick?"

"Oh. Yeah, he is. And you three." Steve nodded at Two Bit, Pony, and Darry.

"You want me in your wedding?" Pony was surprised. Sure he and Steve were getting along better but they still weren't, like, best buds or anything.

"Yeah." Steve nodded.

"Do I have to wear a suit?" Two Bit asked.

"Yes!" Alana said. "You do. And," She turned to Beth and Grace. "I was thinking pink for the dresses. What do you think?"

"Oh, like pale pink?" Grace asked. Alana nodded.

"That's perfect!" Beth told her and the girls launched into a big discussion about wedding dresses.

This just goes to show you that even the toughest greaser girl can fall to pieces over a wedding.

"Uh, let's get out of here before they have us tryin' on dresses or somethin'." Steve suggested. "Anyone up for a game of football?"

And the girls didn't even notice as they trooped outside.


	8. Dazed and Confused

**Author's Note: This is just kinda a filler chapter. I hope you like it. Oh yeah, and the party idea came from too many viewings of the movie 'Dazed and Confused'. If you've never seen it, you should check it out!

* * *

"What is all this?" Richard Randle asked his son, gesturing towards the clutter of papers on the kitchen table. He picked one up and began to read it. "Abigail, Adam, Bradley…What's with all the names, son?"**

"Er…" Steve looked up from where he was hunched over the table. His father still didn't know what was going on and he and Alana were going to be married in a week. "Pop, you might wanna sit down. I gotta tell you somethin'."

His father's eyes were bleary, but sober nonetheless. "If you're talking about you and the Matthews girl, I already know."

"What?" Steve felt his mouth drop open.

"Close your mouth, Steven, you'll catch a fly."

"How…how do you know?"

"Are you kiddin'? Everyone knows. Were you even plannin' on tellin' me?"

"Er…" Steve nodded. "Yes?"

Mr. Randle shook his head. "I shoulda known that you'd pull something like this, knockin' that little tramp up. I'm not one bit surprised. Not one bit! I woulda never pulled a stunt like this at your age!"

"Bully. For. You." Steve answered. "And you know what? I didn't tell you about me and Alana because I just figured you wouldn't give a care! You don't care about anything else that happens to me, do you?"

Mr. Randle popped him upside the head. "I've taken all of your mouth that I'm gonna handle! I want you out of here! Now!"

Steve rubbed his cheek where he'd been hit. "My pleasure! And this time, don't worry about my comin' back, cause it ain't happening!"

"Just get out, you ungrateful, little-." Steve didn't stick around long enough to hear the rest.

He slammed up to his bedroom, grabbing some clothes and tossing them into an overnight bag. Then he stomped back downstairs, past his old man, who was still rambling on, and out to his car. He tossed his bag in the passenger seat and took off, throwing rocks all over the sidewalk.

He reached the Curtis's house in record time and stomped through the door.

"I hate my dad!" He announced. "When my kid comes, I'm never gonna treat him, or her, like that!"

"Steve, man, calm down!" Soda threw his arm over his friends shoulder, a little alarmed. "What happened?"

Steve rolled his eyes and touched his cheek. "The usual. He started picking on me, I defended myself, he hit me and threw me out. I'm not going back there."

"Well, in less than a week, you and Alana'll be married. Then you won't have to worry about it." Pony spoke up.

"No, I'll just have a wife and child to worry about." Steve snapped.

"Hey," Ponyboy shrugged. "I'm just tryin' to help."

"Well, don't."

"Cool it, you two." Soda interrupted before the fight could go any further. "Now, Steve, I know just what you need to cheer you up."

"Uh, no offense, Soda, we're buddies and all, but I only let Alana do that."

Soda paused, then, catching on, hit Steve upside the head with a pillow. "Shut up, you perv. I meant, that we all need to go to that party tonight."

"What party?"

Soda rolled his eyes. "You're so out of it. That party out by Buck's place. You know."

Steve shrugged. "Who all's going?"

"Well, me. And Beth and Pony. I think Two Bit and Grace said something about checking it out. Oh, and Alana wants to go too. She didn't say anything about it to you?"

"No, but I haven't talked to her since yesterday."

"Oh. Well, so do you wanna go?"

Steve shrugged again. "Sure. Why not?"

Soda shook his head. "I never thought I'd see a day when Steve Randle wasn't all over a party."

Steve sighed. "Well, I been thinking. You know, I'm gonna have a wife and a kid to take care of. I guess it's time to grow up. For me, at least."

Soda shook his head. He was sure glad it wasn't him. But, a year ago, he'd been willing to do the same thing for Sandy. And that wasn't even his kid!

"Whose ready to par-tay!" Two Bit burst into the room, half sloshed, as usual. Alana, Beth, and Grace came in behind him, laughing.

"Hi, hon." Alana sat down on the couch beside Steve and kissed his cheek. "What happened to your cheek?"

"My old man." He answered. "He kicked me out again."

"Ah, forget him!" Two Bit slurred. "Just have fun tonight, Steve-O."

Alana squeezed his hand and smiled reassuringly.

"Now, Alana, you're not drinking tonight." Soda said. "I read in one of Pony's books that can be bad for a baby."

"No, I'm not drinking tonight." Alana told him. "I'm the designated driver."

Soda laughed. "Right."

* * *

_Well, you don't know what_

_We can find_

_Why don't you come with me little girl_

_On a magic carpet ride _

The music was loud and there were about three hundred people around. At least they were outside. Steve placed his hand on the small of Alana's back and Soda was holding onto her sleeve, so they wouldn't be separated. Everyone else had gone their separate ways as soon as they arrived. Grace and Two Bit had headed towards the kegs and Pony and Beth had disappeared somewhere.

"Hey, there's Tim!" Soda yelled over the music. "Hey Shepard! Over here, man!"

Tim Shepard wound his way over to them, a cup of beer in his hand. "Hey. What's up?"

"Hi, Tim." Steve said. Alana just nodded. She didn't know Tim Shepard real well, even though she'd known him for years.

"Hear tell you two are getting' married." Tim said to Alana.

"Yeah." She answered. "Next week."

"Well, thanks for invitin' me." He paused, and then barreled ahead. "When's the kid due?"

"January." Steve answered.

"Well, good luck with that." He said, before wondering away.

"Tim's a good guy." Soda said. "Well, I think I see some chicks checkin' me out over by that keg. See y'all later."

Alana giggled and took Steve's hand. They walked around, talking to people they knew. Alana spotted her brother and Grace dancing drunkenly, and Steve laughed, pointing out Pony and Beth, disappearing into the woods.

"Looks like someone's fixin' to get lucky." He said.

"Yeah, but which one?" Alana joked back. Steve shrugged and stopped to fill his cup back up and to bum a cigarette off of someone he knew.

"Wanna dance?" Alana said over the music.

"Sure."

They danced and danced, till Steve was almost too drunk to move and Alana was almost too tired. "Let's sit down." She suggested.

"Right on, baby." He said, flashing her a thumbs up. Alana giggled. He was so funny when he was drunk.

They sat down on an old lawn chair, Alana on Steve's lap. He was kissing her neck with slobbery kisses. "I love you." He slurred.

"I love you too, Steve." She replied. "I just wish you wouldn't drink so much. It scares me."

"Ah, don't be a-scared." He said. It was hard for Alana to make out what he was saying.

They sat like that for awhile, till Soda found them. "Y'all ready to go?" He asked.

"God, yes." Alana stood up. Steve tried to stand, but fell. "Where's Pony? Maybe you guys can help him to the car."

"Yeah." Ponyboy and Beth had appeared beside them, both smiling oddly at one another.

Pony got on one side of Steve and Soda on the other and somehow, they managed to get him to the car.

"I'll drive." Soda said, sitting Steve in the front seat. "Give me the keys, Steve."

Surprisingly, Steve handed them over willingly, a first for him. Grace and Two Bit were already in the backseat and Pony and Beth climbed in beside them.

Alana sighed and sat back in her seat, watching her boyfriend from the corner of her eye. She hated it when he drank like this. He tried to slip his arm around her and she shrugged it off.

"Baby, don't be like that…" He slurred.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Sober up first, huh?"

The next morning, Steve sat slumped at the table with a cup of coffee. "My head's killin' me." He said.

"Hmm." Alana answered sarcastically. "I wonder why?"

Steve narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She rolled her eyes. "You know what it means. What happened to your gettin' responsible thing, huh? You sure weren't last night."

And with that, she slammed out the door.

"Aughh!" Steve let his head hit the table. "Why can't I do anything right?"


	9. White Wedding

**Author's Note: What'd you know? Two chapters in one day! Wow! Anyway, I hope you likemy wedding chapter! I should be posting the last two chapters of this story tomorrow, but no worries! I've got another in the making! It's called 'Do You Believe in Magic?' Watch for it, kay?

* * *

**

"I hate suits!" Two Bit complained, pulling on his tie. "Why do _I _hafta wear one?"

"Because you're in the wedding." Steve snapped. "Stop complain', would ya? All you gotta do is stand there and look good._ I'm_ the one who has to like, talk and stuff."

Soda looked up from his dress shoes. "Hey, we look pretty good. We might even be able to pass as Soc's yet."

Steve pretended to gag. "Man, it's my wedding day. Are you tryin' to ruin it?"

"Uh, yes?"

"Oh, shut up."

Ponyboy stuck his head in the room. "It's almost time, Steve. You ready to head up front?"

Steve shrugged, then smiled. "As ready as I'm gonna get, I guess."

He felt like he was gonna pass out.

"Easy, guy." Two Bit said, patting his back. "I swear, you look like you're about to yark." Then he seemed to remember that he was in a church. He looked upward. "Sorry, God. It's just an expression."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Soda, you got the ring, right?"

"In my pocket." Soda said. "I think."

"You _think_?"

"He has it." Darry joined them. "I made sure he did. Stop worrying, Steve."

"Yeah, everything's gonna be fine." Ponyboy added.

"It's time." Two Bit hissed.

The five of them stood up in front of the church, next to the altar. Steve was taking deep breaths. In thirty minutes time, he'd be married.

* * *

"So, I'm thinking kisses." Beth was saying in the back of the church. "How is Steve going to kiss you?"

Alana shrugged. "I have no idea."

"It's your first kiss as a married woman." Grace interjected, applying some blush to Alana's cheeks. "It has to be passionate."

Alana shrugged again. "I just don't think it's acceptable to be like, making out in front of God and all our relatives."

"So, you just want some dry, tasteless kiss?" Grace asked.

"No…it should be soft and sweet."

"Tongue?" Beth asked, pulling her stockings up.

"A little tongue. Not _porno_ tongue. Church tongue."

"Church tongue?" Her mother piped up. "What's church tongue?"

"When I find out, I'll let you know." She answered, zipping her dress up. "How do I look?"

"Gorgeous!" The others assured her.

And she did. Her dress was simple, long and an off white color. She was wearing her hair down long, with a wreath of baby's breath flowers in her hair. Her bridesmaids, which included Beth, Grace, and two of her cousins, were all wearing pale pink dresses.

Mr. Donaldson knocked on the door. "The boys are already out front." He said. "My, you girls look lovely. Alana, you look beautiful."

"Thanks, Erik." She said. He was walking her down the aisle. "Are you ready?"

"I sure am." He answered.

Alana's mother had gone to sit in the front row and the other girls lined up. First was the two little flower girls, Steve's little twin cousins, Katie and Karin. Then were Beth, then Grace, then Alana's cousins, Jennie and Kasey. The wedding march started and the girls began to walk.

Alana was clutching her stepfather like he was a life saver and she was drowning in the ocean. She could see Steve waiting for her at the end of the aisle. He looked so good, she thought and he was smiling at her. She knew that Soda, her brother, Pony, and Darry were standing beside him, but she could barely tear her eyes from Steve long enough to look at them. After what seemed to be hours, but was only actually minutes, they reached the altar.

"Who gives this woman to this man?" The priest asked.

"Her mother and I." Mr. Donaldson answered. He kissed Alana on the cheek and patted Steve on the shoulder, then went to sit with his wife in the front pew.

Steve was trying to remember how they'd rehearsed this the night before. He took both of Alana's hands in his.

"Dearly beloved," The priest started. "We are gathered here today in the sight of God to join this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. If there are any objections, will you please let them be known now?" He paused, but the church was quiet. "Do you have the rings?" He asked and Soda handed Steve Alana's ring. "Now, Steven, repeat after me: I, Steven, give you, Alana, this ring as a symbol of my commitment, to love honor, and respect you. With this ring, I thee wed."

Steve took a deep breath. "I, Steven, give you, Alana, this ring as a symbol of my commitment, to love honor, and respect you. With this ring, I thee wed." He slipped the ring on her finger.

"Now, Alana." The priest had her repeat the same vows. She then slipped the ring on his finger.

"Do you, Steven Joshua Randle, take Alana Leigh Matthews to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forth, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"And do you, Alana Leigh Matthews, take Steven Joshua Randle to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forth, in sickness and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"In as much as you have each pledged to the other your lifelong commitment, love and devotion, I now pronounce you husband and wife, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder." He paused. "Well, son, you may kiss your bride."

Steve kissed her while all their guest clapped and whooped and the next thing he knew they were walking down the aisle.

"You did it!" Soda was saying.

"Soda was crying!" Two Bit announced.

"So were you!" Ponyboy pointed out.

"Hey, she's my sister! It's my God given right!"

"Yeah, _okay_."

* * *

_You're just too good to be true_

_Can't take my eyes off you_

_You'd be like heaven to touch_

_I wanna hold you so much_

_At long last love has arrived_

_And I thank God I'm alive_

_You're just too good to be true_

_Can't take my eyes off you _

Steve and Alana twirled all over the dance floor. Alana had decided that this was the most fun wedding reception that she'd ever been too. Maybe because it was hers. It had been going on for awhile. They'd already danced several dances and eaten cake.

A fast song had started to play and Steve twirled her around, right in to Soda. "Can I have this dance?" He asked. Steve nodded.

"Sure, as long as Alana doesn't mind."

"Of course not."

And that's how it started. Next thing she knew, she was dancing with Ponyboy, then Darry, and finally her brother.

"You look so pretty." Two Bit told her. "Like a princess or something."

"I do not." She blushed.

"Yeah. You do." He sighed. "The house is gonna be lonely without you in it."

"Well, I guess you and Grace'll have to hurry up and get hitched, huh?"

He laughed. "I don't know if I'm ready for that yet."

A few hours later, they were sitting in Steve's car and driving away. Alana was waving to her friends and family.

"Have fun, Steve-O!" Two Bit shouted. "Take care of my sister, or I'll kill you!"

"Happy?" Steve asked as they pulled out onto the road.

"Very." She said.

And she was.


	10. Baby Blue

**Author's Note: Okay, since I've never had a baby, I have no idea about labor pains and all that. I researched it, of course, but that doesn't really tell me anything. So most of this is my imagination, with Two Bit's wit thrown in a few place. You'll see what I mean.

* * *

**

The next six months flew by quickly, and before they knew it, Alana was nearing her due date. She was already huge, Two Bit kidded that she looked about ready to pop. Needless to say, Alana didn't find this very funny.

She and Steve were happy for the most part. They had moved into their own little house, one block down from the Curtis's. It was tiny, only two bedrooms. Alana had wanted to get a job, but Steve put his foot down.

"No wife of mine is going to be working!" I believe, were his exact words.

So Alana spent her days cleaning and fixing up the nursery, anything to pass the time. She read a lot of books and was in the Library nearly every week.

"Hey, hon." Steve said as he walked through the door on this particular evening. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah." Steve helped her up from the couch. They were going over to the Curtis's for awhile.

He helped her walk out to the car. It seemed that whatever Alana did these days, Steve had to help her with, because she was so big. She couldn't drive at all, because she couldn't fit behind the wheel, and he even had to help her shower!

"You feelin' okay?" He asked, glancing at her. She was rubbing her stomach.

"Yeah. It's just…soon, I think."

Steve looked at her, alarmed. "Soon? How soon?"

"I don't know. In the next couple of days, probably."

Steve felt that little trill of panic in his stomach, that same one that he always felt when ever someone mentioned the birth. He was nervous about it, scared even. Him, of all people, a father? It didn't make sense. No, now Darry, he was an ideal dad. Or Sodapop. Heck, even Two Bit. But him? It just seemed unreal.

"Here we are." Steve announced brightly.

"I can see that, Steven." Alana snapped.

Not to worry. Steve had gotten used to it. Pregnancy makes you irritable.

He helped her up the steps and into the house.

"Hey." Ponyboy was sitting on the couch, reading a book and eating an apple.

"Hey." Steve replied.

Alana didn't say anything. She just sat down and propped her feet on the coffee table. "I'm sooo fat!" She announced as her brother and Sodapop entered the room.

"Oh, you are not." Soda told her.

"Are you kidding? My arms are fat, my legs are fat. I can't see my feet, but I hear they're really fat too."

"_You. Are. Not. Fat_." Steve punctuated each word. "Besides, you said it yourself: just a few more days, then the baby'll be here. And then you won't be fat anymore."

"_Aha_! So you admit that you think I'm fat!"

Steve threw his hands up in frustration.

"How long has she been like this?" Two Bit whispered.

"About a week." Steve answered. "Her time, it's getting close."

"My back is killing me." Alana was saying. "Honey, will you rub it for me?"

"Yeah." Steve rubbed her lower back for a few minutes. "Better?"

"Mhmm. Thanks." She leaned back again and Soda sat down beside her.

_"How much is that doggie in the window?" _Soda sang to Alana's very protruded stomach. "_The one with the waggily tail. How much is that doggie in the window-?" _

"Soda, why are you singing to my stomach?" She asked.

He shrugged. "I just want this baby to know her Uncle Sodapop as soon as she's born."

"She will." Steve rolled his eyes. "Man, if you're gonna sing, can't ya at least sing somethin' _good_?"

_"Girl, we couldn't get much higher, so come on baby, light my fire!" _

"Not that!"

_"Hello, I love you, won't you tell me your name!" _

"Something besides The Doors, please."

_"Louie, Louie, aw, baby, I said we gotta go. Yeah, yeah, yeah!" _

"Okay, okay." Alana pushed Soda away from her stomach. "I think she's gonna know you, Soda."

"So…" Ponyboy changed the subject. "Have you guys decided on a name yet?"

Steve and Alana glanced at one another. This was still a bit of a sore spot with them, because they couldn't decide on one.

"Not exactly." Steve answered. "We're still thinking."

"Uh, the baby's due in like, a week." Darry said. "Shouldn't you be deciding?"

"Yeah." Alana sighed. "But Steve doesn't like any of my names!"

"Oh, come on! Like I'd want to name my daughter _Victoria_! It sounds like a Soc name!"

"Yeah, and_ Nova_ sounds like a heathen!"

"You wanted to name her Nova?" Soda asked incredibly. "Like, after the _car_?"

"It's a cool name!"

"What happened to that baby name book I swiped for you?" Two Bit asked.

"That's no help." Alana said. "We look through it all the time, but we still can't decide."

"Okay!" Ponyboy held up his hands. "How about naming her after your mothers? I mean, you know it's a girl, right?"

"Yeah." Alana nodded slowly. "Helen Marie. Hmm. That sounds kinda pretty."

"Hey, how come your mom's name gets to go first?" Steve demanded.

"Well, so much for that great idea." Darry muttered.

"Knock, knock!" A voice interrupted. Two Bit and Alana's mother was at the door. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah." Ponyboy opened the door for her. "Hi, Mrs. Donaldson. What brings you here?"

"Oh, well, I was on my way to Steve and Alana's, but I saw their car was here…Honey, what's wrong?" She was looking at her daughter, who was rubbing her stomach and grimacing in pain.

"I don't know." She gasped. "My stomach…it hurts…"

"How bad does it hurt?" Mrs. Donaldson asked.

"If I…had…any…military secrets…I'd talk…"

"Show time!" Mrs. Donaldson announced. "Ithink that this girl is in labor!"

"But…but…she said a few more days…" Steve faltered. "And her water didn't break or nothin'!"

"Honey, this isn't a movie." Mrs. Donaldson told him. "Get her to the hospital!"

"Okay, okay! I'm going!" He started to rush Alana out the door.

"Wait! Um, Darry, can you call Dr. Sarrett?"

"Yeah." Darry nodded and Alana jotted down the number. "Just tell him you're a friend of Alana Randle and that she's gone to the hospital, okay?" She turned to Sodapop. "Can you run by the house and get my overnight bag? It's in the hall closet."

"Yeah."

"Let's go!" Steve was still trying to hustle her out the door.

"Steve, we have plenty of-Ohh! That hurts! That really hurts!"

"How long have you been havin' these pains?" Pony asked.

"Uh, since noon?"

"I think you better get to the hospital." Mrs. Donaldson told them.

"I'm comin' with." Two Bit announced.

"We'll take care of everything." Soda added. "So don't worry about it."

All the way to St. Joe's, Alana kept telling Steve to slow down. "We're gonna get pulled over!"

"And I'll say, oh, I'm sorry. My wife is about to have our first child, and then they'll let me go!"

Alana rolled her eyes at her brother. "If you say so."

When they arrived at the hospital, Steve went to get her a wheelchair, while Two Bit waited with her. She wondered why Steve was acting like a madman and she was so clam. She was the one who was going to have the baby. All he had to do was stand there and hold her hand.

"Here we go." Steve came out, followed by a nurse with a wheelchair.

"We're going to take your wife up to the delivery area, Mr. Randle." The nurse said. "If you'll just follow Dennis, he'll get you some scrubs."

"They said I can wait with Alana while you get ready." Two Bit told him before following the wheelchair.

"Uh, okay." Steve glanced at a guy who couldn't have been much older than himself.

"Come on, Mr. Randle. I'll get you outfitted for the delivery room." Dennis said. "This is your first kid, huh?" He asked, even though he knew it was.

"Yeah."

"Nervous?"

"You have no idea."

* * *

"Okay, hon." The nurse told her. "You're dilated nine and half centimeters. Only one half of a centimeter left to go."

"It hurts." Alana said.

"I know. Just be strong, it'll all be over with soon."

"Where's…Steve?"

"He's coming." The nurse told her. "And your mother too. They'll both be here soon. But your brother's here with you now."

"Hi, baby." Two Bit moved closer to the bed. He took her hand. "When it hurts, squeeze, okay?"

"Okay." She felt the next contraction coming on. "Here comes another one." She squeezed Two Bit's hand.

"Yow!" He wrenched it from her grasp. "What, do you crack walnuts for a living?"

She laughed, in spite of herself. "Sorry…it really hurts…"

"Here's daddy!" Dennis announced, opening the door for Steve.

If Alana hadn't been in so much pain, she would have laughed. He looked pretty funny in the bright green scrubs.

"It's almost time." She told him, panting a little. "Just another half…"

Steve nodded, even though he had no idea what she was talking about. He took her other hand.

"I'm gonna go wait out in the waitin' room for everyone else." Two Bit said. "Just holler if you need me."

"Okay." Steve said. "Thanks for staying with her."

"No sweat." Two Bit answered. "Just watch when she squeezes your hand, okay? She like to broke my fingers."

Steve nodded, concentrating on Alana. She was breathing hard. "Steve…" She said. "Our baby's almost here…"

"I know."

"We still don't have a name…" She said.

"Well, we can worry about that later…" Steve trailed off. He could hear a television blaring out in the waiting room. Apparently, Alana heard it too.

"Breakfast at Tiffany's." She said.

"Huh?"

"That's…the movie…Breakfast at Tiffany's. Audrey…Hepburn. Let's…let's call her…Audrey…" Her voice was fading in and out.

"Who?"

"The…baby. Let's call her…Audrey…"

"Audrey." Steve mulled it over. It was a pretty name and not to Socy. "Okay. Audrey Randle. That sounds nice."

"Hmm." Alana moaned. "It hurts…"

"I know, baby." He turned to the nurse. "Can't you give her anything?"

She shook her head. "She's too far dilated. It could hurt the baby."

Steve nodded and tried to be understanding, but it looked like they were in for long wait.

* * *

"It can't possibly take this long to have a baby!" Two Bit was pacing the waiting room. "It's been hours!"

"Takes a long time to have a baby." Darry said, looking up from a Sports Illustrated. "It took eighteen hours for mom to have Pony."

"_Eighteen hours_!" Two Bit looked ready to pass out. "I can't wait that long!"

"Looks like you're gonna have to." Sodapop told him. "Just like the rest of us."

Grace sighed and looked up from her Cosmo. "Calm down, Two Bit. It's hard enough for Alana and Steve in there without you going crazy out here."

"Uh, that didn't make any sense." Beth said, giggling.

"Well…I'm excited!" Grace said. "Just imagine…a baby! It's almost like having your own, living baby doll."

"Yeah." Beth nodded dreamily.

Ponyboy and Two Bit exchanged worried looks. "Um, don't be getting any idea's…" Pony said.

"We're just talking!" Grace told him. "You two mind your own business!"

Sodapop laughed. "Well, I guess they told you!"

"Oh, shut up!"

Darry shook his head and looked out the window. It was almost 8:00 and they'd been here since 3:30. He knew it took awhile, to have a baby, but he was hoping that Alana's delivery wouldn't take too long.

"She's here!" Steve had rushed out into the waiting room. "She's here! The baby! She's here!"

"We got it, bud!" Two Bit clamped him on the back. "The baby's here. What's she look like?"

"She's…she's…I…beautiful." Steve shook his head. "She has blonde hair…it's curly…and her toes are so tiny…It's amazing…"

"When can we see?" Ponyboy demanded.

"Now!" Steve was practically dragging them into the delivery room.

Alana was lying in the bed, looking sweaty and tired, holding a bundle of blankets in her arms. "Hey." She said hoarsely.

"Alana…you look…" Two Bit trailed off. Truthfully, she looked bad, but he didn't want to say that. It didn't matter; Alana already knew.

She narrowed her eyes. "I just spent the last for hours pushing a baby the size of a watermelon out a hole the size of a lemon. You try that, and we'll see how hot you look."

No one else was paying them any mind. They wanted to see that baby.

"Look at her!" Soda breathed. "She's so tiny!"

She was tiny, lying in her little pink blanket. Steve was right, her hair was blonde and her mouth stretched into a lopsided 'O'. When Pony touched her cheek, she opened her eyes long enough for everyone to see they were a very dark blue.

Alana carefully handed Steve the baby. "We decided to call her Audrey." He told them. "Audrey Rose Randle." He jiggled her a little bit. His nervous feeling had started to melt away as soon as he set eyes on her and he couldn't believe that he had felt that way at all.

This baby was perfect in everyway.


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue- April, 1979- 10 Years Later- **

"I'm home!" Audrey Randle announced to her parents as she walked through the front door.

"Did you have fun at Summer's?" Steve looked up from the newspaper he was reading at his eldest child, the spitting image of him. Well, except for the hair. She had Alana's hair.

"Yeah." Audrey sat down and pulled off her sneakers. "Dad, I always have fun at Summer's house. She's too much like Uncle Two Bit for me not too."

"That would make sense," Alana called from the kitchen. "Seeing as she is his daughter."

Audrey giggled and stood up. "I'm going to my room."

Before long, the sounds of loud rock filled the house.

"Turn it down, Audrey!" Steve yelled over the music, forgetting how he used to do the same thing. "Five other people live in this house, you know."

"Sorry!" The music lowered.

"Daddy." Eight-year-old Kathryn (Katy, for short) ambled in from outside. Ever the tomboy, she was streaked with mud. "I'm thirsty."

"Well, go get a drink, babe." Steve kissed her sweaty forehead.

I wanna drink, too." Four-year-old Dalton, the youngest of the four Randle children, announced from where he was coloring on the floor.

"Then go get one, kiddo." He smiled, watching the little boy trail after his big sister and number one hero.

"Katy, you're filthy!" Alana said when she saw her daughter. "What've you been doing?"

"Playin' football in the park." Katy answered. "If you think I'm dirty, you should see Josh."

Alana rolled her eyes. "I'm afraid to even ask." Josh was six, and prone to get into about anything.

All and all, life had been good for the Randle's for the past ten years. Steve and Sodapop now managed the DX station where they worked and Alana was able to stay home with the kids. If wasn't, however, all peaches for them. Steve's drinking had been growing steadily worse. Alana thought that he had it under check now, but she wasn't sure. It had caused quite a few riffs between them over the past few years.

The other boys in what had once been their gang were all doing good, too. Darry had finally married, so had Soda. Two Bit and Grace had had their first child about a year after Audrey was born, a little girl they called Summer. They married three years later; after they found out they were expecting their second baby, a little boy, Bobby. They now had five children.

Ponyboy and Beth didn't end up married, shocking as that may be. They dated all through high school, but then Pony left for college in California and Beth moped around for awhile. She finally found comfort in Sodapop. They were married two years later. Ponyboy returned from college, surprised to see his high school sweetheart married to his big brother, but he had brought home his girlfriend, so he wasn't too surprised. Her name was Natalie and she was a sweet girl. She and Pony had four girls together.

The gang was all grown up and sometimes Steve could hardly believe it. But as he watched his family around the dinner table that night, Audrey still humming some song, Katy flicking pea's at Josh, and Dalton whimpering because he didn't like meatloaf, Steve decided that he was pretty happy.

And that was all that mattered.

**_The End!_**

* * *

**Author's Note: _Sniff, sniff_. I'm kinda sorry this is over. I had fun writing this story, but not to worry. I'll have my new one up soon, most likely tomorrow. It's also a sister fic (since I had so much fun writing this one) but it's a Curtis sister fic. I'm going to _try_ not to make it _too_ Sueish, but you know, sometimes that can't be avioded. Anyway, it's called '_The Truth About Cats and Dogs_'. Watch for it!**


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